What do you think?
Rate this book
The Terlizzis #1
Ruthless Sinner
I was born to inherit the family business. Father braided darkness into my soul before I spoke my first word.
Adalina Martinelli is collateral.
At first, I take her because her father is in debt to mine.
But after one night together, she becomes my prisoner.
Locked in a gilded cage, I set forth to transform her.
Father wants me to marry, and I've found the perfect wife.
She may be younger than me...
She may be the daughter of our enemies...
She may need stern convincing...
But I will bend and break her until she agrees to my twisted guarantee of safety.
Each book in The Terlizzis series can be read as a standalone novel.
Note: Ruthless Sinner is Dante and Adalina's story.
Adalina Martinelli is collateral.
At first, I take her because her father is in debt to mine.
But after one night together, she becomes my prisoner.
Locked in a gilded cage, I set forth to transform her.
Father wants me to marry, and I've found the perfect wife.
She may be younger than me...
She may be the daughter of our enemies...
She may need stern convincing...
But I will bend and break her until she agrees to my twisted guarantee of safety.
Each book in The Terlizzis series can be read as a standalone novel.
Note: Ruthless Sinner is Dante and Adalina's story.
Unknown Binding
153 people are currently reading
806 people want to read
About the author
Cora Kent
49 books1,027 followersCora Kent fell for her first villain before she even knew what romance was. Ever since Scar was denied a happily ever after, she’s been on a mission to give all the dark, dangerous anti-heroes the endings they deserve. If the Big Bad Wolf had swept Little Red off her feet, it might have saved the fairy tale—so that's exactly what Cora does in her novels: grants her bad boys redemption through passion, power, and the women who can handle them.
When she’s not spinning tales of morally gray heroes and forbidden desires, you’ll find her snuggled up with her cat, sipping a margarita, and watching Grey’s Anatomy.
When she’s not spinning tales of morally gray heroes and forbidden desires, you’ll find her snuggled up with her cat, sipping a margarita, and watching Grey’s Anatomy.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 613 reviews
September 8, 2024
I'm so torn on how to rate this book. I'd really love in this moment to have half measure ratings because, for me, this one was a 3.5 ⭐️ read!
What I loved 💜
- the heroine; I felt her pain, and I cheered with her when she got her revenge; I wanted to hug her a few times. Even though she eventually was saved by the MMC, I still feel that she deserved more; she's that type of heroine that deserves the world, and she deserves to be worshiped by her H ... which might be the case, here, just that we do not see that! There were hints, here and there, but I wanted him to defent her even more, to keep her on the trone she fucking deserved in his life! Especially in the last 10-15 % of the book 😉 Yeah, I am so pissed! 🥺😅😉
- the MMC'S bodyguard/ best friend, even though I would have loved for him to put his foot down at least in the last 20% of the book, when Dante decided to keep her in the dungeon; it would have been a couple of nice scenes, to see how she truly has a new, real friend, that would stick for her; there was some potential lost here, in my opinion; it would have been so nice to see someone else, who could become her real and sincere best friend - symbolic brother, because he really saw her and her pain; and this would have been a nice occasion for someone to be in her corner because they couldn't stand how she's being threatened
What I didn't like 😐
- the fact that she accepted his behavior way to easy; for a bratty, strong woman that she said she was, she definitely didn't make him work for the stupid and just weird behavior he had, after the scene where they got their revenge against her father
- him; sorry, but he's bipolar and he has serious anger issues; someone should stop him from making stupid decisions that do not make sense! (For example, the colar and the dungeon part ... how could he sleep while she was held in that cell?? And he said he loved her! Bleah, I don't believe you, you pos! In those moments, he was even worse than her father! The psychological distress he put on her! While he knew her traumatic past! Why, why, it doesn't make sense!)
- the betrothed fiancée ... she was such a weird character for her age; I'm pretty sure we will hear from her in the next books
.
.
.
So, overall, it was an interesting read. It pulled me quickly into the story. But I was already caught into the story since the prequel, so this was not a surprise for me 😅.
The writing style was so much better than the first books. You can definitely see an improvement from the author's first book published, until this one. I read them all, and I can see it. The pace was fine, the scenes were flowing, the timeline as well.
This one was the spiciest until now. And it was fine, with the exception of a few terms that were used in those scenes that were not on my liking. But I'm sure this will work for other readers. The spice and plot were intertwined and balanced nicely.
So, his brothers also pissed me off for a while 😅. We shall see how they behave in their books. Can't wait to continue the series!
⚠️ seriously, mind your triggers!
What to expect
- age gap (21 h, 31H)
- dark mafia setup
- traumatic past, especially for her; no, really, she's the best, I read the book only for her 🥹
- no V, insta lust, spicy with a side of breeding and some other kinks
- some OW drama, complicated situation that it's solved but with some repercussions; we shall see in the next books if the OW will continue to be unhinged and search for revenge (I suspect she's also a victim of her mafia family, but not like our h)
- HEA, but for me, it wasn't perfect; I needed to see how he makes up to her for his atrocious behavior; nothing triggered me in this book, except maybe his stupid decision from the last 15% of the book 😅👀
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
What I loved 💜
- the heroine; I felt her pain, and I cheered with her when she got her revenge; I wanted to hug her a few times. Even though she eventually was saved by the MMC, I still feel that she deserved more; she's that type of heroine that deserves the world, and she deserves to be worshiped by her H ... which might be the case, here, just that we do not see that! There were hints, here and there, but I wanted him to defent her even more, to keep her on the trone she fucking deserved in his life! Especially in the last 10-15 % of the book 😉 Yeah, I am so pissed! 🥺😅😉
- the MMC'S bodyguard/ best friend, even though I would have loved for him to put his foot down at least in the last 20% of the book, when Dante decided to keep her in the dungeon; it would have been a couple of nice scenes, to see how she truly has a new, real friend, that would stick for her; there was some potential lost here, in my opinion; it would have been so nice to see someone else, who could become her real and sincere best friend - symbolic brother, because he really saw her and her pain; and this would have been a nice occasion for someone to be in her corner because they couldn't stand how she's being threatened
What I didn't like 😐
- the fact that she accepted his behavior way to easy; for a bratty, strong woman that she said she was, she definitely didn't make him work for the stupid and just weird behavior he had, after the scene where they got their revenge against her father
- him; sorry, but he's bipolar and he has serious anger issues; someone should stop him from making stupid decisions that do not make sense! (For example, the colar and the dungeon part ... how could he sleep while she was held in that cell?? And he said he loved her! Bleah, I don't believe you, you pos! In those moments, he was even worse than her father! The psychological distress he put on her! While he knew her traumatic past! Why, why, it doesn't make sense!)
- the betrothed fiancée ... she was such a weird character for her age; I'm pretty sure we will hear from her in the next books
.
.
.
So, overall, it was an interesting read. It pulled me quickly into the story. But I was already caught into the story since the prequel, so this was not a surprise for me 😅.
The writing style was so much better than the first books. You can definitely see an improvement from the author's first book published, until this one. I read them all, and I can see it. The pace was fine, the scenes were flowing, the timeline as well.
This one was the spiciest until now. And it was fine, with the exception of a few terms that were used in those scenes that were not on my liking. But I'm sure this will work for other readers. The spice and plot were intertwined and balanced nicely.
So, his brothers also pissed me off for a while 😅. We shall see how they behave in their books. Can't wait to continue the series!
⚠️ seriously, mind your triggers!
What to expect
- age gap (21 h, 31H)
- dark mafia setup
- traumatic past, especially for her; no, really, she's the best, I read the book only for her 🥹
- no V, insta lust, spicy with a side of breeding and some other kinks
- some OW drama, complicated situation that it's solved but with some repercussions; we shall see in the next books if the OW will continue to be unhinged and search for revenge (I suspect she's also a victim of her mafia family, but not like our h)
- HEA, but for me, it wasn't perfect; I needed to see how he makes up to her for his atrocious behavior; nothing triggered me in this book, except maybe his stupid decision from the last 15% of the book 😅👀
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 14, 2024
⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶
I have received and ARC for this book so I am going to be painfuly honest. I was very excited because this is my first ARC ever. So I was very hopeful and wished I could have loved this book. I am so so sorry for leaving this review, but I can not, in good conscience give this book a higher raking or recommend it.
✔️Let's start with the plot. I liked the general idea of it, but I don't think it was written very accurately. I think it lacked a lot of backstory and thus I was not able to fully comprehend the action.
✔️The characters, well. The FMC was abused her whole life and adopted a false sense of bravado. I don't think the author did a very good job at approaching the mental health issues in this book. The MC had a savior complex, but was still very ruthless and mean with the FMC. I did not appreciate it. As I did not appreciate further degrading an abused victim. Instead of helping her heal and overcome her trauma, in my opinion the MC further abused her (not in the way she was abused in the past, but abused nontheless).
✔️I think the spice was forced and it was just there to fill the pages. I did not sense any chemistry between the characters, nor did I care much about what was happening to them.
✔️Overall, I would say this is a light read, you can read it in one sitting, but I can not recommend it. My heart is not there. I did not get any kind of vibes from this book, and for that I will not apologize.
🌶🌶🌶
I have received and ARC for this book so I am going to be painfuly honest. I was very excited because this is my first ARC ever. So I was very hopeful and wished I could have loved this book. I am so so sorry for leaving this review, but I can not, in good conscience give this book a higher raking or recommend it.
✔️Let's start with the plot. I liked the general idea of it, but I don't think it was written very accurately. I think it lacked a lot of backstory and thus I was not able to fully comprehend the action.
✔️The characters, well. The FMC was abused her whole life and adopted a false sense of bravado. I don't think the author did a very good job at approaching the mental health issues in this book. The MC had a savior complex, but was still very ruthless and mean with the FMC. I did not appreciate it. As I did not appreciate further degrading an abused victim. Instead of helping her heal and overcome her trauma, in my opinion the MC further abused her (not in the way she was abused in the past, but abused nontheless).
✔️I think the spice was forced and it was just there to fill the pages. I did not sense any chemistry between the characters, nor did I care much about what was happening to them.
✔️Overall, I would say this is a light read, you can read it in one sitting, but I can not recommend it. My heart is not there. I did not get any kind of vibes from this book, and for that I will not apologize.
September 9, 2024
Huge Thank you to the brilliant author Cora Kent and the beautiful people at booksprout for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. These thoughts are mine and have been given without any influence.
TROPES
🩸mafia romance
🤺rival families
☠️he's meant to *off* her
💰 kidnapping for debt payment
💑age gap
💤 somnophilia
🙇♀️praise degradation
🫦dubious consent
🖐️spanking
There's always something magical about a broken and beaten character reclaiming their power and giving it back to her abusers. Our fmc, Adalina, is regularly beaten and tortured by her father's men and her life has given her a gracious break from it all when she's kidnapped by her rival mafia family to claim her father's debt.
Dante was never meant to claim adalina for himself but now nothing will stop him from keeping her for himself. Dante has always been clear about the plan, collect the debt and the matter's over but he didn't account for adalina to walk in and change his life. He has now gone from not caring for her to killing off people to protect her.
DANTEADALINA were beautiful with each other the banter was chef's kiss and the sex scenes were written out perfectly. Would totally recommend this to all my mafia girlies💋💋
⚠️⚠️TRIGGER WARNINGS - abuse, reference to self harm, psychological abuse, violent fight scenes, on page- torture, murders (multiple)⚠️⚠️
TROPES
🩸mafia romance
🤺rival families
☠️he's meant to *off* her
💰 kidnapping for debt payment
💑age gap
💤 somnophilia
🙇♀️praise degradation
🫦dubious consent
🖐️spanking
There's always something magical about a broken and beaten character reclaiming their power and giving it back to her abusers. Our fmc, Adalina, is regularly beaten and tortured by her father's men and her life has given her a gracious break from it all when she's kidnapped by her rival mafia family to claim her father's debt.
Dante was never meant to claim adalina for himself but now nothing will stop him from keeping her for himself. Dante has always been clear about the plan, collect the debt and the matter's over but he didn't account for adalina to walk in and change his life. He has now gone from not caring for her to killing off people to protect her.
DANTEADALINA were beautiful with each other the banter was chef's kiss and the sex scenes were written out perfectly. Would totally recommend this to all my mafia girlies💋💋
⚠️⚠️TRIGGER WARNINGS - abuse, reference to self harm, psychological abuse, violent fight scenes, on page- torture, murders (multiple)⚠️⚠️
September 8, 2024
Check the trigger warnings before you read! 🚨‼️
The premise of the story was great but I wish there was a little more build up rather than jumping straight into it. It’s a bit of an insta-lust bordering on insta-like from both of their POV, which I’m not a fan of but that’s a personal preference 🫢
Even though it’s a dark mafia romance, it’s quite light on the mafia element. More focused on the rivalry than anything else. So if you’re looking to get into this genre, then it’s a good start. But bear in mind that there are some scenes which are a bit gore.
There were two characters that were introduced in the first chapter, with one being Adalina’s (FMC) best friend that we don’t hear from for the rest of the book. This sets up the scene for what happens later in the book, as the author is able to show (and not just tell) that despite having “friends” she was still quite alone for the reasons explained later.
I liked Adalina, she had fire and wasn’t a timid heroine. But I wasn’t particularly attached to Dante (MMC) or them as a couple. It was missing a little bit of a build-up, which showed them evolving as a couple. Honestly, I would have been happy if Adalina took off without Dante, it would have been very interesting to see what she would have done on her own with her freedom! I was expecting a little more personality from Dante. I liked his brothers more than I did him lol 🤭
‼️Stop reading if you haven’t read the book! Spoilers below! ‼️
————————————————————————————-
There were some moments in the book that left me a bit confused - the MMC literally rips out a guy’s throat with his teeth?? Maybe I’m reading too much fantasy but I didn’t get how that was possible from a human 😂🫣 Also, after she offs her dad (rightly so) they go at it literally in front of his corpse but then, out of nowhere, he locks her away in the dungeon until he can “decide” what to do with her? All the while wanting to marry her? I was flummoxed 🫢
While there is no third-act breakup, this part of the book was clearly meant to evoke some conflict (no matter how small) but it fell really flat and a bit unnecessary.
All in all, it was an easy, quick read. 2.75 stars 🌟
The premise of the story was great but I wish there was a little more build up rather than jumping straight into it. It’s a bit of an insta-lust bordering on insta-like from both of their POV, which I’m not a fan of but that’s a personal preference 🫢
Even though it’s a dark mafia romance, it’s quite light on the mafia element. More focused on the rivalry than anything else. So if you’re looking to get into this genre, then it’s a good start. But bear in mind that there are some scenes which are a bit gore.
There were two characters that were introduced in the first chapter, with one being Adalina’s (FMC) best friend that we don’t hear from for the rest of the book. This sets up the scene for what happens later in the book, as the author is able to show (and not just tell) that despite having “friends” she was still quite alone for the reasons explained later.
I liked Adalina, she had fire and wasn’t a timid heroine. But I wasn’t particularly attached to Dante (MMC) or them as a couple. It was missing a little bit of a build-up, which showed them evolving as a couple. Honestly, I would have been happy if Adalina took off without Dante, it would have been very interesting to see what she would have done on her own with her freedom! I was expecting a little more personality from Dante. I liked his brothers more than I did him lol 🤭
‼️Stop reading if you haven’t read the book! Spoilers below! ‼️
————————————————————————————-
There were some moments in the book that left me a bit confused - the MMC literally rips out a guy’s throat with his teeth?? Maybe I’m reading too much fantasy but I didn’t get how that was possible from a human 😂🫣 Also, after she offs her dad (rightly so) they go at it literally in front of his corpse but then, out of nowhere, he locks her away in the dungeon until he can “decide” what to do with her? All the while wanting to marry her? I was flummoxed 🫢
While there is no third-act breakup, this part of the book was clearly meant to evoke some conflict (no matter how small) but it fell really flat and a bit unnecessary.
All in all, it was an easy, quick read. 2.75 stars 🌟
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ **this was an arc received from Booksprouts** I loved reading about Adalina and Dante’s story. Her dad was TRASH, like straight dumpster fire trash ugh. The more I read the more I hated him but Adalina was such a strong fmc, I was rooting for her the whole way. Def check the trigger warnings because they are some scenes that will catch you off guard. Over all this is the second book I’ve read by Cora and I love her writing. I say give this a try if you’re into dark, touch her and you die romances.
August 23, 2024
This book was amazing. I was hooked immediately. I was invested with the characters. I fell in love with Enzo. I cant wait for the next one!
March 13, 2025
The book is well written & it kept my attention throughout. It’s easy to follow because you don’t have endless side characters confusing you. The story is simple as well, sticking to what information is necessary. It also has a few spicy scenes.
Both main characters are easy to love, Dante is protective/possessive & rather caring. He is still ruthless & somewhat mean to Adalina in parts. So it’s rather conflicting because he does degrade her to a degree, but it was only to make her see sense & a way for him to care for her. He just wanted to make Adalina’s life better. Then you have Adalina, who has been abused her whole life & is used to fighting to save herself. She is fiery & refuses to be broken. She doesn’t understand the gentleness & kindness that Dante offers because she’s never been given it. They make one hell of a couple. He is definitely head over heels for her & she wants him, but she is just very unsure of his ways.
This was a fab read. However, I do have one small gripe & that is it wasn’t long enough & I feel the end was a little rushed. The story could have continued into the marriage. It would have been nice to watch Adalina learn that it is okay to accept help.
Spice Level 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Both main characters are easy to love, Dante is protective/possessive & rather caring. He is still ruthless & somewhat mean to Adalina in parts. So it’s rather conflicting because he does degrade her to a degree, but it was only to make her see sense & a way for him to care for her. He just wanted to make Adalina’s life better. Then you have Adalina, who has been abused her whole life & is used to fighting to save herself. She is fiery & refuses to be broken. She doesn’t understand the gentleness & kindness that Dante offers because she’s never been given it. They make one hell of a couple. He is definitely head over heels for her & she wants him, but she is just very unsure of his ways.
This was a fab read. However, I do have one small gripe & that is it wasn’t long enough & I feel the end was a little rushed. The story could have continued into the marriage. It would have been nice to watch Adalina learn that it is okay to accept help.
Spice Level 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
August 15, 2024
I really wanted to like this book! Adalina’s character was fun, and I enjoyed parts of Dante’s character, but I could not get behind the continuation of trauma he inflicted on her. I couldn’t even enjoy the spicy scenes because they felt yucky with everything else going on in the plot. I think there’s definitely a good story at the core of the book, but it needed to be fleshed out more with some SERIOUS character growth. Except for Enzo. Enzo was perfect!
**I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review**
**I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review**
August 28, 2024
Ruthless Sinner
is a wild ride with compelling characters that immerse you in a chaotic world of retribution, dominance, and brutality.
Here is what you can expect from this enemies-to-lovers mafia romance:
- a dark captive romance
- an obsessed morally ambiguous hero
- a tumultuous heroine
- dysfunctional family dynamics
- trauma
- kink
- HEA w/ Epilogue
Adalina is celebrating her 21st birthday with her friends at a nightclub when she meets 31 y.o. Dante. She decides that a one-night stand is worth her father's wrath and goes home with him. Little does Adalina know, that Dante plans to hold her ransom until her father repays his debts to Dante's family. However, Dante's strong desire to possess her contradicts his initial plan for revenge. After enduring years of abuse by her father, Adalina yearns for a savior. Although Adalina doesn't deny their fiery attraction, Dante's manipulation and treatment of her make her hesitant to believe Dante could ever be that man.
Overall, I enjoyed Ruthless Sinner by Cora Kent. The plot was engaging, and the characters were intriguing, particularly Dante, who was driven by his obsession with Adalina. However, I found his treatment of her to be questionable at times. I was surprised at the lack of groveling from Dante, which I had hoped to see. Adalina is a strong female lead, so it seemed out of character for her to readily forgive him, especially after his behavior toward the end of their story.
Dante's inner circle, including his bodyguard Enzo and his brothers, allowed me to see different sides of the lead characters, which I appreciated. I am eager to learn more about Enzo and hope Cora Kent grants him his very own happily ever after.
🗣️ Dual POV
⚠️ Content Spoilers:
💋 Safety Spoilers:
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Here is what you can expect from this enemies-to-lovers mafia romance:
- a dark captive romance
- an obsessed morally ambiguous hero
- a tumultuous heroine
- dysfunctional family dynamics
- trauma
- kink
- HEA w/ Epilogue
Adalina is celebrating her 21st birthday with her friends at a nightclub when she meets 31 y.o. Dante. She decides that a one-night stand is worth her father's wrath and goes home with him. Little does Adalina know, that Dante plans to hold her ransom until her father repays his debts to Dante's family. However, Dante's strong desire to possess her contradicts his initial plan for revenge. After enduring years of abuse by her father, Adalina yearns for a savior. Although Adalina doesn't deny their fiery attraction, Dante's manipulation and treatment of her make her hesitant to believe Dante could ever be that man.
Overall, I enjoyed Ruthless Sinner by Cora Kent. The plot was engaging, and the characters were intriguing, particularly Dante, who was driven by his obsession with Adalina. However, I found his treatment of her to be questionable at times. I was surprised at the lack of groveling from Dante, which I had hoped to see. Adalina is a strong female lead, so it seemed out of character for her to readily forgive him, especially after his behavior toward the end of their story.
Dante's inner circle, including his bodyguard Enzo and his brothers, allowed me to see different sides of the lead characters, which I appreciated. I am eager to learn more about Enzo and hope Cora Kent grants him his very own happily ever after.
🗣️ Dual POV
⚠️ Content Spoilers:
💋 Safety Spoilers:
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 3, 2024
2.5 stars
Dante and Adalina
The h is locked up and bored for most of this book. So
Was I. There’s angsty potential but it’s never played out. There’s too much set up For future MCs of the next books, and no character development of the Mcs of this book. Also what’s with locking her in the dungeon for 9 days when she has a severely broken wrist requiring surgery.I didn’t buy this because he’s the one who is head over heels in love. It was done instead of the third act break up…. And then she just forgives him immediately like a doormat… but then in the epilogue she’s a feisty bitch. Also Dante’s POV definitely gives off woman thinking vibes. I’m like dude you sound like a girl. He’s also portrayed too weak. Another thing is for some reason at first I thought this was a Cora Reilly book so big disappointment there. Dante is definitely no Luca Vitellio!
Dante and Adalina
The h is locked up and bored for most of this book. So
Was I. There’s angsty potential but it’s never played out. There’s too much set up For future MCs of the next books, and no character development of the Mcs of this book. Also what’s with locking her in the dungeon for 9 days when she has a severely broken wrist requiring surgery.I didn’t buy this because he’s the one who is head over heels in love. It was done instead of the third act break up…. And then she just forgives him immediately like a doormat… but then in the epilogue she’s a feisty bitch. Also Dante’s POV definitely gives off woman thinking vibes. I’m like dude you sound like a girl. He’s also portrayed too weak. Another thing is for some reason at first I thought this was a Cora Reilly book so big disappointment there. Dante is definitely no Luca Vitellio!
August 27, 2024
This is one of those great in theory but the execution ruined it type stories for me. The insta lust I could get behind between Adelina and Dante, she’s been abused basically her whole life so it felt natural for her to be drawn to the attention.
But everything afterwards just wasn’t it. For a man who says he loves Adelina, Dante treats her like absolute shit. The chemistry between them felt forced and even in the end it didn’t feel like they loved or even cared about each other.
To lock her up in a dungeon because she doesn’t want to marry him when he asks after she sucks him off in front of her of her fathers dead body was just ridiculous in my opinion. I’m not sure if the author just wanted to add conflict or something but it made me want Adelina away from Dante more not less.
Overall
⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5
But everything afterwards just wasn’t it. For a man who says he loves Adelina, Dante treats her like absolute shit. The chemistry between them felt forced and even in the end it didn’t feel like they loved or even cared about each other.
To lock her up in a dungeon because she doesn’t want to marry him when he asks after she sucks him off in front of her of her fathers dead body was just ridiculous in my opinion. I’m not sure if the author just wanted to add conflict or something but it made me want Adelina away from Dante more not less.
Overall
⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 27, 2024
I was given an ARC copy by the author. I am very grateful for this experience as it is my first ARC copy.
I want to first say, please read the prequel. It will set you up better to dive into Ruthless Sinner. I have read other reviews saying there isn't much of a back story, and it just jumps in. Makes me feel like they skipped the prequel bc I wasn't confused or feel like the book lacked a back story at all.
What are my thoughts on the book? Honestly, I really enjoyed it. I loved the FMC a lot. She is very strong for what she went through her entire life. Which was a lot! She still has this great idgaf attitude. She isn't a weak, frail woman after the trauma. She is very much sassy. I love my FMC to have that personality type. The MMC I like his personality as well. He is definitely a Ruthless Mafia Boss, which his father tried to mold him into his image. But Dante still has a soft spot, and that is for Adaline the FMC. I love the possessioness he has for her.
The plot to me was great. Definitely had me emotionally angry at both fathers. I feel it was like a 2.5 on spicy. That's just bc I would prefer a little more spicy scenes. Overall, it was a fairly great read.
I want to first say, please read the prequel. It will set you up better to dive into Ruthless Sinner. I have read other reviews saying there isn't much of a back story, and it just jumps in. Makes me feel like they skipped the prequel bc I wasn't confused or feel like the book lacked a back story at all.
What are my thoughts on the book? Honestly, I really enjoyed it. I loved the FMC a lot. She is very strong for what she went through her entire life. Which was a lot! She still has this great idgaf attitude. She isn't a weak, frail woman after the trauma. She is very much sassy. I love my FMC to have that personality type. The MMC I like his personality as well. He is definitely a Ruthless Mafia Boss, which his father tried to mold him into his image. But Dante still has a soft spot, and that is for Adaline the FMC. I love the possessioness he has for her.
The plot to me was great. Definitely had me emotionally angry at both fathers. I feel it was like a 2.5 on spicy. That's just bc I would prefer a little more spicy scenes. Overall, it was a fairly great read.
September 10, 2024
I received Cora Kent’s newsletter with an invitation to grab an ARC from BookSprout. I am so glad I did. Ruthless Sinner is a dark, very dark, romance, and I do love walking on the dark side. There are many triggers, so check it out thoroughly before grabbing a copy for yourself.
We meet Adalina Martinelli in the bar, where she runs into Dante and their dance has begun. What doesn’t kill her will definitely make her stronger.
The level of cruelty and brutality heaped on her knows no bounds. Everywhere she turns, someone is torturing her. I want to reach through my reader and take them out myself, especially her father. I hope he gets what he deserves. Dante brings out the worst in her through his dark and twisted version of love. Steamy scenes, they are sizzling hot and I surprise myself with how much I am loving the book.
I want more of The Terlizzis world.
See more at http://www.fundinmental.com
We meet Adalina Martinelli in the bar, where she runs into Dante and their dance has begun. What doesn’t kill her will definitely make her stronger.
The level of cruelty and brutality heaped on her knows no bounds. Everywhere she turns, someone is torturing her. I want to reach through my reader and take them out myself, especially her father. I hope he gets what he deserves. Dante brings out the worst in her through his dark and twisted version of love. Steamy scenes, they are sizzling hot and I surprise myself with how much I am loving the book.
I want more of The Terlizzis world.
See more at http://www.fundinmental.com
August 25, 2024
ARC Review - 3.5 ⭐️ rounded up
Overall I enjoyed Ruthless Sinner, and look forward to reading more from Cora Kent and the Terlizzi family! It kept me engaged and was easy to read in the best way.
I really wish there was a little more build up and character/ relationship building between Dante and Adalina. I liked Dante’s relationships with his brothers and I LOVED Enzo!
While I’ve seen reviews say the book is very dark, or that they didn’t like the spicy scenes or Dante at all, I may be in the minority. I didn’t find the spice level high, and I felt like there were whispers of darker spicy scenes to come that never came. Either way, I do suggest everyone check the trigger warnings!
Again, I look forward to more from this series and I’m look forward to reading more of Cora Kent’s books.
Overall I enjoyed Ruthless Sinner, and look forward to reading more from Cora Kent and the Terlizzi family! It kept me engaged and was easy to read in the best way.
I really wish there was a little more build up and character/ relationship building between Dante and Adalina. I liked Dante’s relationships with his brothers and I LOVED Enzo!
While I’ve seen reviews say the book is very dark, or that they didn’t like the spicy scenes or Dante at all, I may be in the minority. I didn’t find the spice level high, and I felt like there were whispers of darker spicy scenes to come that never came. Either way, I do suggest everyone check the trigger warnings!
Again, I look forward to more from this series and I’m look forward to reading more of Cora Kent’s books.
August 19, 2024
Dante is the head of the Terlizzi Mafia family. He is betrothed to the youngest daughter of the Castiglione Mafia family.
The Martinelli family, headed by Tommaso Martinelli, are rivals to Dante’s family, who are indebted to the Terlizzi. Dante seeks revenge on the Martinelli’s, by taking Adalina as collateral.
Adalina is the only daughter of Tommaso. Adalina is a whirlwind of anger, feistiness and satire at times. She is strong character who has not been subdued by her traumatic upbringing.
Taken on her 21st birthday, Adalina finds herself in the home of Dante Terlizzi. She’s been taken as his captive. She now fears her life, be it at the hands of Dante, or a possessive father who would do anything to get his daughter back.
What ensues is a story of a possessive Dante who would do anything to protect Adalina, whilst fighting his own morals as head of his family, and Adalina who grapples with the realisation of trading one gilded cage for another may not be so bad after all.
Tropes:
🖤 he falls first
❤️ morally grey MMC
🖤 feisty heroine
❤️ age gap (older man/younger woman)
🖤 forced marriage
❤️ touch her and ☠️
🖤 🍆 warming
❤️ no third act break up
🖤 trauma bond
❤️ kidnapping/captive
Thoughts:
I really enjoyed Dante and Adalina’s story, I binged it in a day. I love a strong FMC and Cora delivered with how she portrayed Adalina. The development of Dante and Adalina’s relationship progressed well throughout the book, without being obstructive to the plot. I would have like to see Tommaso's punishment extend over several days as opposed to ending quickly. I thought the story prematurely ended, even though it had a satisfactory conclusion. I look forward to reading the next book.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The Martinelli family, headed by Tommaso Martinelli, are rivals to Dante’s family, who are indebted to the Terlizzi. Dante seeks revenge on the Martinelli’s, by taking Adalina as collateral.
Adalina is the only daughter of Tommaso. Adalina is a whirlwind of anger, feistiness and satire at times. She is strong character who has not been subdued by her traumatic upbringing.
Taken on her 21st birthday, Adalina finds herself in the home of Dante Terlizzi. She’s been taken as his captive. She now fears her life, be it at the hands of Dante, or a possessive father who would do anything to get his daughter back.
What ensues is a story of a possessive Dante who would do anything to protect Adalina, whilst fighting his own morals as head of his family, and Adalina who grapples with the realisation of trading one gilded cage for another may not be so bad after all.
Tropes:
🖤 he falls first
❤️ morally grey MMC
🖤 feisty heroine
❤️ age gap (older man/younger woman)
🖤 forced marriage
❤️ touch her and ☠️
🖤 🍆 warming
❤️ no third act break up
🖤 trauma bond
❤️ kidnapping/captive
Thoughts:
I really enjoyed Dante and Adalina’s story, I binged it in a day. I love a strong FMC and Cora delivered with how she portrayed Adalina. The development of Dante and Adalina’s relationship progressed well throughout the book, without being obstructive to the plot. I would have like to see Tommaso's punishment extend over several days as opposed to ending quickly. I thought the story prematurely ended, even though it had a satisfactory conclusion. I look forward to reading the next book.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 16, 2024
This is a story of revenge, one of unrequited love within the mafia world and a story that has you holding your breath. It has some darker themes, but we all know how much I love a good gritty story. I'm sure you guys are going to love this, just as much as I do.
I instantly fell in love with Adalina, her trauma and dramatic past, she's a women with edge, courage and a survivor. She's strong, and this book does everything to build her up even in her darkest moments.
Dante has his own past, his own traumas, but you can tell his heart is in a place of love for Adalina the more they get to know each other. Parts of the story make you think of him as a bit of a tosser, a bit of a di*k.. but I honestly could only see the good side to him (I like bad guys.. what can I say)
The spice in this book is tasteful, and lustful. Adalina and Dante have a lust that could be compared to a classic tale, but with some kink thrown in. It's artfully done.
I want to congratulate Cora Kent on an awesome job well done, and express my thanks for this ARC. I loved it. I'm just going to sit here and dream about these two now. ❤️🫠
I instantly fell in love with Adalina, her trauma and dramatic past, she's a women with edge, courage and a survivor. She's strong, and this book does everything to build her up even in her darkest moments.
Dante has his own past, his own traumas, but you can tell his heart is in a place of love for Adalina the more they get to know each other. Parts of the story make you think of him as a bit of a tosser, a bit of a di*k.. but I honestly could only see the good side to him (I like bad guys.. what can I say)
The spice in this book is tasteful, and lustful. Adalina and Dante have a lust that could be compared to a classic tale, but with some kink thrown in. It's artfully done.
I want to congratulate Cora Kent on an awesome job well done, and express my thanks for this ARC. I loved it. I'm just going to sit here and dream about these two now. ❤️🫠
August 16, 2024
I received this book as an ARC. It is my first ARC ever and my first book by this author.
I am not the best at breaking down my thoughts but will do what I can. I was hesitant to leave my review so early as I don't like to say negative things about art and I greatly admire authors for all their time and dedication put into their books. However, I also believe reviews should be honest so here we go.
For a mafia romance, this book was okay. I felt like the story was rushed, though. There was not a lot of setup and the backstory was minimal. I feel that if things hadn't escalated so immediately that I could have given this a higher rating. I really enjoyed the premise of the story and was very excited to read it. I loved the revenge plot. I only wish it had taken longer or been further developed. That's not to say that the quick resolution didn't make sense considering the competence of the villain involved.
I'm more than a little disappointed that the villain's plans for the FMC were only revealed to her. I would have loved to see that come up with the MMC and be implemented in some way. Resolution was not dragged out nearly long enough. That man should have suffered for ages for what he did.
I think if this had been a supernatural romance the instant infatuation of the MMC with the FMC would have made more sense and I could easily look past it. Since that is not the case it made the story a little campy. Overall it was an okay read. I would be willing to give this author another shot in the future, though I hope there's a little more attention paid in the editing process.
I am not the best at breaking down my thoughts but will do what I can. I was hesitant to leave my review so early as I don't like to say negative things about art and I greatly admire authors for all their time and dedication put into their books. However, I also believe reviews should be honest so here we go.
For a mafia romance, this book was okay. I felt like the story was rushed, though. There was not a lot of setup and the backstory was minimal. I feel that if things hadn't escalated so immediately that I could have given this a higher rating. I really enjoyed the premise of the story and was very excited to read it. I loved the revenge plot. I only wish it had taken longer or been further developed. That's not to say that the quick resolution didn't make sense considering the competence of the villain involved.
I'm more than a little disappointed that the villain's plans for the FMC were only revealed to her. I would have loved to see that come up with the MMC and be implemented in some way. Resolution was not dragged out nearly long enough. That man should have suffered for ages for what he did.
I think if this had been a supernatural romance the instant infatuation of the MMC with the FMC would have made more sense and I could easily look past it. Since that is not the case it made the story a little campy. Overall it was an okay read. I would be willing to give this author another shot in the future, though I hope there's a little more attention paid in the editing process.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2024
A fun read that's not in my typical wheelhouse. I enjoyed the book,
and would recommend it to someone who wants a light read with notes of spice and mafia.
and would recommend it to someone who wants a light read with notes of spice and mafia.
August 27, 2024
Ruthless Sinner by Cora Kent
Honoured to have this be my first ARC read.
The story is a duel POV that follows the capture/kidnapping of Adalina and the development of a connection with a man named Dante whilst also dealing with familial and ‘professional’ relationships including the mafia lifestyle, with plenty of spice included🌶️
Being a duel POV book, you get the chance to get to not only know each character more personally but also understand their perspective as well.
If you’re someone like me who doesn’t *always* get a great deal of time to read in a day, some more than others etc., the chapter lengths are perfect, being only a few minutes read each you can progress through the book and also do other things too!
Personally I really enjoyed the pace of the book and all the twists, turns, conversations etc. that occur. The very beginning of the book springs you straight into action, without spoiling what you’re in for, which is an absolute treat.
There is plenty of character development, both individually and together, I found myself not being able to put the book down or go a day without reading it.
If you’re someone who likes books with; dominant but also caring men, age gap romance, strong (but also traumatised) FMC; then this is definitely a book you’d enjoy.
However, if you’ve suffered any trauma in the past or don’t enjoy particular content, please remember to double check the trigger list as there are scenes in the book that can get a little more descriptive than others.
Overall I would read this book again in a heartbeat and I can’t wait for the release of the next one in the series “Wicked Desires” to see how the story continues and develops
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
Honoured to have this be my first ARC read.
The story is a duel POV that follows the capture/kidnapping of Adalina and the development of a connection with a man named Dante whilst also dealing with familial and ‘professional’ relationships including the mafia lifestyle, with plenty of spice included🌶️
Being a duel POV book, you get the chance to get to not only know each character more personally but also understand their perspective as well.
If you’re someone like me who doesn’t *always* get a great deal of time to read in a day, some more than others etc., the chapter lengths are perfect, being only a few minutes read each you can progress through the book and also do other things too!
Personally I really enjoyed the pace of the book and all the twists, turns, conversations etc. that occur. The very beginning of the book springs you straight into action, without spoiling what you’re in for, which is an absolute treat.
There is plenty of character development, both individually and together, I found myself not being able to put the book down or go a day without reading it.
If you’re someone who likes books with; dominant but also caring men, age gap romance, strong (but also traumatised) FMC; then this is definitely a book you’d enjoy.
However, if you’ve suffered any trauma in the past or don’t enjoy particular content, please remember to double check the trigger list as there are scenes in the book that can get a little more descriptive than others.
Overall I would read this book again in a heartbeat and I can’t wait for the release of the next one in the series “Wicked Desires” to see how the story continues and develops
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
September 12, 2024
Received an arc copy in exchange for an honest review.
Before reading check trigger warnings!! They are there for a reason so please don’t go into this book thinking you’re reading a happy romance novel, this is NOT that. I feel like some of the negative reviews are from people who did not consider this when reviewing.
In my opinion I found this book to be a quick, fun read and I think you will too IF you enjoy dark romance reads. This is enemy to lovers, mafia romance and boy was it just that. How did I fall in love with the mafia? I don’t know but I’m not mad about it.
I was reading before bed after a long exhausting day and thought I’d get in a few chapters before falling asleep and the next think I knew I was wide eyed at 3am wanting to see what would happen next.
I’m excited to see where this series goes and to learn about the other families stories.
Thank you Cora Kent for the arc copy, I can’t wait to read more!
Oh, and is Enzo single? Asking for a friend
Before reading check trigger warnings!! They are there for a reason so please don’t go into this book thinking you’re reading a happy romance novel, this is NOT that. I feel like some of the negative reviews are from people who did not consider this when reviewing.
In my opinion I found this book to be a quick, fun read and I think you will too IF you enjoy dark romance reads. This is enemy to lovers, mafia romance and boy was it just that. How did I fall in love with the mafia? I don’t know but I’m not mad about it.
I was reading before bed after a long exhausting day and thought I’d get in a few chapters before falling asleep and the next think I knew I was wide eyed at 3am wanting to see what would happen next.
I’m excited to see where this series goes and to learn about the other families stories.
Thank you Cora Kent for the arc copy, I can’t wait to read more!
Oh, and is Enzo single? Asking for a friend
September 8, 2024
⭐️4.5
Review: I personally really enjoyed this Dark
Mafia Romance. I believe that the author did a great job pulling her readers in through her characters and through details in this novel.
Dante was mysterious, intense, and sounded super sexy. While Adelina, was a strong and courageous woman considering so much. I easily fell into their story together as it evolved and will absolutely be looking for more books from Author Cora Kent. I do recommend reading this book especially if you're a lover of Mafia Ronance!
Review: I personally really enjoyed this Dark
Mafia Romance. I believe that the author did a great job pulling her readers in through her characters and through details in this novel.
Dante was mysterious, intense, and sounded super sexy. While Adelina, was a strong and courageous woman considering so much. I easily fell into their story together as it evolved and will absolutely be looking for more books from Author Cora Kent. I do recommend reading this book especially if you're a lover of Mafia Ronance!
August 19, 2024
So im a newbie at writing reviews, well in depth ones any way! So here goes...
I was lucky enough to be selected as an ARC reader!
Each chapter is short and sweet (approx 3mins per chapter on my kindle) which kept me hooked into the book as each chapter switched between Dante & Adalina.
I love that we get dual POV from both characters, I enjoyed getting the same scene but with the different thoughts and feelings of both Adalina and Dante.
I thoroughly enjoyed the depth the relationship that is built throughout the book.
Tomasso is a piece of sh*t! The rage I feel for this man (if you can even call him a man!) Is unreal!
The smut scenes are off the charts 🌶 although I did think there would be more, at the same time there was ALOT of story to sink your teeth into!
I would of like the mental health issues to be discussed/looked into abit more.
I am obsessed with this book! I am now off to add EVERY Cora Kent book I can find to my TBR!!!
I was lucky enough to be selected as an ARC reader!
Each chapter is short and sweet (approx 3mins per chapter on my kindle) which kept me hooked into the book as each chapter switched between Dante & Adalina.
I love that we get dual POV from both characters, I enjoyed getting the same scene but with the different thoughts and feelings of both Adalina and Dante.
I thoroughly enjoyed the depth the relationship that is built throughout the book.
Tomasso is a piece of sh*t! The rage I feel for this man (if you can even call him a man!) Is unreal!
The smut scenes are off the charts 🌶 although I did think there would be more, at the same time there was ALOT of story to sink your teeth into!
I would of like the mental health issues to be discussed/looked into abit more.
I am obsessed with this book! I am now off to add EVERY Cora Kent book I can find to my TBR!!!
August 15, 2024
Review to come in due time
February 1, 2025
2.5 The story began like many do in this genre and initially I had high hopes for a story that was well executed, with adequate back stories for the main characters and character development. The plot had a few surprises but did not addressed the mental health issue of Adelina which should have been pivotal in a story that addresses such heinous physical and mental abuse of a main character. It glossed over it with her tough hardened exterior while her character was dying on the inside. Her father was a sadist and in many ways so was Dante. Both loved inflicting pain, not just revenge. Both were different as to their barely minimal moral codes, but both did like the power their positions gave them and the ability to not just kill people but torture them. They both wallowed in the act of torture as well as the outcome. Dante had his "dungeons" while daddy dearest had his daughter.
I connected with Adelina's character because she was a fighter and a survivor in a world that had dealt her a terrible hand. She had somehow lived through excruciating physical pain brought on by sadist men including her father who got off on inflicting pain on an innocent child/woman.
Enter Dante, a crime lord who kidnaps Adelina as a ruse to collect the money her father owes his father. I didn't like his character very much but tolerated him because of Adelina. I felt that his demeanor was that of a Jekyll and Hyde especially toward her and wasn't necessarily a good leader of his Mafia family. He acted egotistical and was a character that lacked the tact and judgement of a leader when it came to running the family. There was never an explanation as to why he and his brothers were estranged which should have been addressed. There was a constant underlying negative energy surrounding his character as well as a personality that could shift on a dime. His feeling for Adelina seemed rushed and forced as well as the sex. I didn't consider their relationship to be a love story but one of lust, obsession and possession. She deserved better than Dante and really hoped that the author might throw in a "got ya" whereas Adelina actually finds her true soul mate. As expected, that didn't happen.
I connected with Adelina's character because she was a fighter and a survivor in a world that had dealt her a terrible hand. She had somehow lived through excruciating physical pain brought on by sadist men including her father who got off on inflicting pain on an innocent child/woman.
Enter Dante, a crime lord who kidnaps Adelina as a ruse to collect the money her father owes his father. I didn't like his character very much but tolerated him because of Adelina. I felt that his demeanor was that of a Jekyll and Hyde especially toward her and wasn't necessarily a good leader of his Mafia family. He acted egotistical and was a character that lacked the tact and judgement of a leader when it came to running the family. There was never an explanation as to why he and his brothers were estranged which should have been addressed. There was a constant underlying negative energy surrounding his character as well as a personality that could shift on a dime. His feeling for Adelina seemed rushed and forced as well as the sex. I didn't consider their relationship to be a love story but one of lust, obsession and possession. She deserved better than Dante and really hoped that the author might throw in a "got ya" whereas Adelina actually finds her true soul mate. As expected, that didn't happen.
September 10, 2024
Ruthless Sinner is a Dark Mafia romance book with an age gap trope. It follows the story of Dante and Adalina and I loved it!
~
There was humour, emotion, trauma, angst and the sexual tension was through the roof!
~
Adalina is my absolute favourite type of FMC, she is a black cat, independent, feisty girl and i’m here for it, she takes shit from absolutely no one and it just made me like her even more!
~
Dante is pure Golden Retriever vibes and takes Adalina’s black cat energy with a pinch of salt. I love how he never tried to change her personality for loved her even more for it!
~
Thank you for the opportunity to read the ARC of the Ruthless Sinner
~
There was humour, emotion, trauma, angst and the sexual tension was through the roof!
~
Adalina is my absolute favourite type of FMC, she is a black cat, independent, feisty girl and i’m here for it, she takes shit from absolutely no one and it just made me like her even more!
~
Dante is pure Golden Retriever vibes and takes Adalina’s black cat energy with a pinch of salt. I love how he never tried to change her personality for loved her even more for it!
~
Thank you for the opportunity to read the ARC of the Ruthless Sinner
November 9, 2024
Really enjoyed following Adelina's journey of self discovery. It's not often that a strong FMC features in a Mafia romance, so this was a breath of fresh air. She is strong and sassy, and can stand her ground.
Dante is slightly unhinged, but is a carer and nurturer, and will do what it takes to keep Adelina from returning to her abusive father.
Loved their story and hope to see more of them and the rest of the Terlizzi boys in future books!!
Dante is slightly unhinged, but is a carer and nurturer, and will do what it takes to keep Adelina from returning to her abusive father.
Loved their story and hope to see more of them and the rest of the Terlizzi boys in future books!!
November 5, 2024
Please mind your triggers, there is some slightly disturbing content in this book.
I thought the dynamic between the two mc’s was great until Dante decides to do questionable things to her. Adalina is one of my favorite fmc’s and she gives as good as she gets.
I would definitely read more of this series.
I thought the dynamic between the two mc’s was great until Dante decides to do questionable things to her. Adalina is one of my favorite fmc’s and she gives as good as she gets.
I would definitely read more of this series.
September 9, 2024
I absolutely loved it!! The writing was fantastic as well as the story as a whole! I highly recommend this one to everyone who like a good mafia romance!!
September 8, 2024
This book was good!! This was my first proper dark romance read, and I enjoyed it! I would definitely recommend it to other dark romance readers!!
The book goes basically straight into the smut. I mean there is a little bit of character introduction but not much before it gets right into the fun stuff.
However, there was actually less smut throughout the entire book than I thought there would be. Not that this is a negative point, just an observation. The smut seemed to be at the start of the story and near the end, like it was kind of framing the dark content, as this story does get dark!
I would definitely recommend reading the content warning as this book does have some heavy topics. However, the dark elements seem to be focused around the main characters families, rather than the love story focuses themselves. Let’s just say Adalina’s dad is an asshole. Although Dante does do some technically ‘dark’ things (aka kidnapping, being held captive), it doesn’t feel bad. It just seems like he’s a little obsessed with her and doesn’t want her to leave him.
I know that Enzo’s older than Dante but he’s giving me little brother vibes, like innocent little brother vibes even though I know he’s not at all innocent. I think it’s just because he really looks up to Dante, and Dante respects Enzo whilst still remembering that he’s above him. Would love to see a next instalment in the series thought about Enzo!!
I LOVE the way that Dante proposes near the end! The way that he just casually mentions think that he’s got to do for a wedding he’s planning like getting flowers for examples. And when she asks ‘whose wedding’ she just says ‘ours’ like she’s being stupid or lost her brain. It’s so iconic for the alpha male who is used to getting what he wants.
At the end especially, I feel like Adalina acts a little bit like a child or a toddler, how she doesn’t really think about things before she says or does them. It’s like she voices things without thinking them through first. When she’s asking Dante questions, I was thinking ‘I wouldn’t have asked that/said that’. I don’t know whether the author meant to write her this way or purpose or not? I’m gonna assume it was on purpose, and I get why because this behaviour makes sense, considering the trauma that Adalina has been through both with her father and Dante. When she wants to shave her head and get tattoos, it’s like she can’t see that that is such an insane thing to do on a whim?!
Even later on in the story, it’s like she doesn’t understand that Dante is caring for her and trying to do what’s best for. All she sees is someone else trying to control her, and she’s trying to show them that she can be grown up too.
There was a few editing mistakes in the ebook version, but only tiny things so they didn’t affect the reading at all.
Overall, I would say that it was good, and would recommend to any dark romance readers out there!
I received this as my first ARC!!
The book goes basically straight into the smut. I mean there is a little bit of character introduction but not much before it gets right into the fun stuff.
However, there was actually less smut throughout the entire book than I thought there would be. Not that this is a negative point, just an observation. The smut seemed to be at the start of the story and near the end, like it was kind of framing the dark content, as this story does get dark!
I would definitely recommend reading the content warning as this book does have some heavy topics. However, the dark elements seem to be focused around the main characters families, rather than the love story focuses themselves. Let’s just say Adalina’s dad is an asshole. Although Dante does do some technically ‘dark’ things (aka kidnapping, being held captive), it doesn’t feel bad. It just seems like he’s a little obsessed with her and doesn’t want her to leave him.
I know that Enzo’s older than Dante but he’s giving me little brother vibes, like innocent little brother vibes even though I know he’s not at all innocent. I think it’s just because he really looks up to Dante, and Dante respects Enzo whilst still remembering that he’s above him. Would love to see a next instalment in the series thought about Enzo!!
I LOVE the way that Dante proposes near the end! The way that he just casually mentions think that he’s got to do for a wedding he’s planning like getting flowers for examples. And when she asks ‘whose wedding’ she just says ‘ours’ like she’s being stupid or lost her brain. It’s so iconic for the alpha male who is used to getting what he wants.
At the end especially, I feel like Adalina acts a little bit like a child or a toddler, how she doesn’t really think about things before she says or does them. It’s like she voices things without thinking them through first. When she’s asking Dante questions, I was thinking ‘I wouldn’t have asked that/said that’. I don’t know whether the author meant to write her this way or purpose or not? I’m gonna assume it was on purpose, and I get why because this behaviour makes sense, considering the trauma that Adalina has been through both with her father and Dante. When she wants to shave her head and get tattoos, it’s like she can’t see that that is such an insane thing to do on a whim?!
Even later on in the story, it’s like she doesn’t understand that Dante is caring for her and trying to do what’s best for. All she sees is someone else trying to control her, and she’s trying to show them that she can be grown up too.
There was a few editing mistakes in the ebook version, but only tiny things so they didn’t affect the reading at all.
Overall, I would say that it was good, and would recommend to any dark romance readers out there!
I received this as my first ARC!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2024
I have received this book as an ARC - thanks again to Cora.
Rating: ★ ★ ★, 5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
She is a storm waiting to unleash her fury, and I can’t resist the temptation of standing in her path.
Adalina is celebrating her 21st birthday with her friends, when she meets 31-year-old Dante. She decides that a one-night-stand is worth her abusive fathers wrath. But little does she know that Dante plans on holding her captive until her father repays the debt he owns to Dante´s family.
Dante is an alpha hero, mafia boss, MMC set on kidnapping the daughter of someone who owes the family money. Adalina is a fiesty, abused, but powerful FMC who just wants a night out to celebrate her 21st birthday. Cue one night stand, kidnapping, being held captive, and fighting attraction.
I´m a little bit torn on how to rate this book, while it was an entertaining read it also lacked some explanations and backstory to comprehend some actions from the FMC more.
Before you start reading the book, pls check the trigger warnings
-profanity
- violence/murder/torture
- kidnapping with use of sedative
- physical and psychological abuse
- references to self harm
- somnophilia
- humiliation
Here is what you can expect from this enemies-to-lovers mafia romance:
- age gap
- dark mafia setup
- traumatic past
- a tumultuous heroine
-dysnfunctional family dynamics
- kink
- HEA w/ Epilogue
- obsession
I´ll devide this review into two parts - the parts I liked and the parts i disliked:
What i liked:
- the FMC and her redemption arc - i felt her pain, and I cheered with her when she finally got her revenge.
- the MMC´s Bodyguard/best friend Enzo, he really saw her and the pain she endured. I nejoyed his POV and I really hope we´ll get to see more of him.
What I disliked:
- the fact that a strong and mischievous woman like the FMC just accepted his behaviour way to easily
- i disliked the MMC, his anger issues got on my nerves and he is giving bipolar.He had a savior complex, but was still very mean and ruthless to the FMC. Someone should stop him from making more and more dumb decisions and the mental load he put her in AGGGGHH and all while he knew her traumatic past with her psycho father. Instead of helping her to heal and overcome her trauma, he only abused her more (degradation of an abused victim is a no-go).
- the betrothed fiancé, in my opinion she was just a weird character, immature for her age, i can understand that Dante wants nothing to do with her, If the marriage hadn't been arranged, she would never have gotten to marry her.
Overall it was an entertaining read, and I quickly got into the story. It was my first book from her, so I can´t really compare with her previous books - but this definitely wasn´t my last one!
This book is everything you could want in a dark mafia romance. There is SPICE, tension, banter, violence, and enough family drama to keep it all interesting.
Rating: ★ ★ ★, 5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
She is a storm waiting to unleash her fury, and I can’t resist the temptation of standing in her path.
Adalina is celebrating her 21st birthday with her friends, when she meets 31-year-old Dante. She decides that a one-night-stand is worth her abusive fathers wrath. But little does she know that Dante plans on holding her captive until her father repays the debt he owns to Dante´s family.
Dante is an alpha hero, mafia boss, MMC set on kidnapping the daughter of someone who owes the family money. Adalina is a fiesty, abused, but powerful FMC who just wants a night out to celebrate her 21st birthday. Cue one night stand, kidnapping, being held captive, and fighting attraction.
I´m a little bit torn on how to rate this book, while it was an entertaining read it also lacked some explanations and backstory to comprehend some actions from the FMC more.
Before you start reading the book, pls check the trigger warnings
-profanity
- violence/murder/torture
- kidnapping with use of sedative
- physical and psychological abuse
- references to self harm
- somnophilia
- humiliation
Here is what you can expect from this enemies-to-lovers mafia romance:
- age gap
- dark mafia setup
- traumatic past
- a tumultuous heroine
-dysnfunctional family dynamics
- kink
- HEA w/ Epilogue
- obsession
I´ll devide this review into two parts - the parts I liked and the parts i disliked:
What i liked:
- the FMC and her redemption arc - i felt her pain, and I cheered with her when she finally got her revenge.
- the MMC´s Bodyguard/best friend Enzo, he really saw her and the pain she endured. I nejoyed his POV and I really hope we´ll get to see more of him.
What I disliked:
- the fact that a strong and mischievous woman like the FMC just accepted his behaviour way to easily
- i disliked the MMC, his anger issues got on my nerves and he is giving bipolar.He had a savior complex, but was still very mean and ruthless to the FMC. Someone should stop him from making more and more dumb decisions and the mental load he put her in AGGGGHH and all while he knew her traumatic past with her psycho father. Instead of helping her to heal and overcome her trauma, he only abused her more (degradation of an abused victim is a no-go).
- the betrothed fiancé, in my opinion she was just a weird character, immature for her age, i can understand that Dante wants nothing to do with her, If the marriage hadn't been arranged, she would never have gotten to marry her.
Overall it was an entertaining read, and I quickly got into the story. It was my first book from her, so I can´t really compare with her previous books - but this definitely wasn´t my last one!
This book is everything you could want in a dark mafia romance. There is SPICE, tension, banter, violence, and enough family drama to keep it all interesting.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 613 reviews