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Unlawful Men #4
The Rising
You can't rise from the ashes if you've never been burned.
When notorious mafia boss Danny Black and lethal assassin James Kelly join forces to hunt down a mutual, elusive nemesis that threatens to destroy them both and take control of their city, they know they will be entering a deadly game. A game they must win if they are ever going to live in peace with the women they love away from crime, corruption, and death.
But peace is an illusion, love is a daily torment, and death will always follow them.
As power starts to slip from their grasp, enemies re-emerge, and old, personal demons return to haunt them both, they finally accept they can never leave their world if they want to stay alive. So they need to protect it at all costs. No matter the consequences. No matter the losses. No matter the pain. They must make choices no men should make. Kill more ruthlessly, love more fiercely, and hate with more rage than ever before.
They're capable. Ready.
But nothing prepares them for the secrets they uncover and the betrayals they face. Or the personal sacrifices they must make to rise again.
Two men.
One goal.
No mercy.
This is The Rising.
When notorious mafia boss Danny Black and lethal assassin James Kelly join forces to hunt down a mutual, elusive nemesis that threatens to destroy them both and take control of their city, they know they will be entering a deadly game. A game they must win if they are ever going to live in peace with the women they love away from crime, corruption, and death.
But peace is an illusion, love is a daily torment, and death will always follow them.
As power starts to slip from their grasp, enemies re-emerge, and old, personal demons return to haunt them both, they finally accept they can never leave their world if they want to stay alive. So they need to protect it at all costs. No matter the consequences. No matter the losses. No matter the pain. They must make choices no men should make. Kill more ruthlessly, love more fiercely, and hate with more rage than ever before.
They're capable. Ready.
But nothing prepares them for the secrets they uncover and the betrayals they face. Or the personal sacrifices they must make to rise again.
Two men.
One goal.
No mercy.
This is The Rising.
528 pages, Paperback
Published November 25, 2025
609 people are currently reading
2904 people want to read
About the author
Jodi Ellen Malpas
53 books20.3k followers#1 New York Times & Sunday Times Bestselling Author Jodi Ellen Malpas was born and raised in England, where she lives with her husband, her boys, and Theo the Doberman.
Writing powerful love stories with fierce, memorable characters is her passion – a passion that has taken her on an amazing journey into the world of romantic fiction. Her work is now published in more than twenty-six languages across the world.
Jodi's next release: The Invitation. Check it out on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/...
Writing powerful love stories with fierce, memorable characters is her passion – a passion that has taken her on an amazing journey into the world of romantic fiction. Her work is now published in more than twenty-six languages across the world.
Jodi's next release: The Invitation. Check it out on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 319 reviews
May 27, 2023
#1 The Brit — 3.75 stars
#2 The Enigma — 2.75 stars
#3 The Resurrection — 3.5 stars
idk why the author felt the need to write this, but this was unnecessary. it only tarnished the good memories i had with the characters in previous books cause most of their struggles in those books were still present in this one as well, so it just felt repetitive and it annoyed me. the book was long, and the whole thing felt like a filler. the ‘Bear’ reveal wasnt even that shocking. i think it also didnt help that i went into this with the “im so over it, i dont care” mentality cause truly... i was reading it simply because it was the final book and i dont like to leave series unfinished if i can help it.
(read as an audiobook)
#2 The Enigma — 2.75 stars
#3 The Resurrection — 3.5 stars
idk why the author felt the need to write this, but this was unnecessary. it only tarnished the good memories i had with the characters in previous books cause most of their struggles in those books were still present in this one as well, so it just felt repetitive and it annoyed me. the book was long, and the whole thing felt like a filler. the ‘Bear’ reveal wasnt even that shocking. i think it also didnt help that i went into this with the “im so over it, i dont care” mentality cause truly... i was reading it simply because it was the final book and i dont like to leave series unfinished if i can help it.
(read as an audiobook)
February 17, 2024
Rose + Danny
Beau + James
...
We've already read a lot about them in The Brit,
The Enigma and The Resurretion.
And now - or rather at the end of the last book - everything was perfect. They got the bad guy and they were all happy on their island.
But then they got that call. Their dead bad guy wasn't the real bad guy.
That means nothing is over. Everything is still as dangerous and complicated and mysterious as before and we still have a long fight ahead of us to reach that elusive happily ever after for all of them!
Let the 'fun' times begin ...
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO OUR DARLINGS?
WILL WE FINALLY GET A HAPPILY EVER AFTER?
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT ☺
══════════════════
PHEW! 🔥
This is such a great series. It really is.
If you love mafia and dark romance - these are So the books for you!
I'm not a mafia romance fan at all. I hate it when my hero kills people and sells guns and drugs and whatnot.
But... somehow. Kinda. You just have to fall in love with Danny and James and their ladies and all the other extended family.
It's still way too criminal and bloody and gunny for my tastes. But it's also so very heartbreaking and sexy and sweet and funny and hopeless, but also still so full of hope for a better - more peaceful - future.
You just want them to destroy all the bad people and enjoy their happily ever after on St. Lucia with the whole family.
But of course it's not really that easy. For me it dragged a bit in the beginning but then it was one dangerous moment after the other.
And it might just posslibly be that this hasn't been the very endy end of all.
There's more to tell.
Don't worry - it's not a bad cliffy or anything. Things come to an end here ... but there's definitely more to come!
And I still want that Miami/St. Lucia-based TV show please!
THE RISING was the perfect 4th book in this great dark romantic series! Dangerous + mysterious + sexy + exciting + heartbreaking and so full of hope for a more peaceful future. Run to your nearest book dealer for your own Danny + James - these two are MINE!
💜
💜
February 13, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
There are no words.
Except maybe one: BRILLIANT.
This book deserves a thousand stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 is not for the faint of heart. But these books, especially this story, will grab you by the throat and never let you go. In a word? It’s brilliant.
𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐧.
𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥.
𝐍𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲.
𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓡𝓲𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰
It took me 3 days to read 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓡𝓲𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰 because it’s a beast (over 600 glorious pages) and there’s so much story you cannot and should not rush thru. Also, I had to take breaks to catch my breath. Shake my head. Absorb what just happened. And dive back in. I reread the last chapter 3 times and I’m still not over it - a week later.
𝗜 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗺𝗮, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚.
This is book 4 in the series and Danny Black, The Brit, and James Kelly, The Enigma, are returning to Miami to continue their hunt for the allusive killer, THE BEAR. And their women are NOT happy. 𝘚𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥, 𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘧𝘪𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥.🤣.
This particular story focuses a lot on Beau and Rose, especially Beau. Her struggles, her losses are front and center and James’ determination to “fix her” while protecting her continues. Rose still has her “right hook” and slap-ready hand….and it will make you chuckle when she unleashes on husband Danny. Oh, and if you’re fond of Danny’s right hand man, Brad, he gets more story here and it seems that it might lead to . . . more. All of the secondary characters are back (I particularly love Danny’s mom and killer/playboy Otto’s budding relationship- which Danny HATES of course). All of these characters lend so much to this story.
𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕗𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕖𝕝𝕪.
𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕔𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕤𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖.
𝔸𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕜𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕞𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕪.
𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓡𝓲𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰 is intense. It’s steamy. It’s angry. Its unexpected (WOW). It’s even funny at times. You’ll laugh at some of Danny’s comments (so afraid of Rose, it’s adorable…..for a killer of course). In a word?
It’s Brilliant.
Get ready for a plot twist you will NOT see coming. 🐻 I may have yelled ”What the Fck” out loud. Enjoy every word. I did. ❤️📚.
𝙋𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙙𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢.
Congratulations Jodi on a brilliant story. Totally blew my mind in the best possible way.
#TopReadOf2023.
There are no words.
Except maybe one: BRILLIANT.
This book deserves a thousand stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐚𝐰𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 is not for the faint of heart. But these books, especially this story, will grab you by the throat and never let you go. In a word? It’s brilliant.
𝐓𝐰𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐧.
𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥.
𝐍𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐲.
𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓡𝓲𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰
It took me 3 days to read 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓡𝓲𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰 because it’s a beast (over 600 glorious pages) and there’s so much story you cannot and should not rush thru. Also, I had to take breaks to catch my breath. Shake my head. Absorb what just happened. And dive back in. I reread the last chapter 3 times and I’m still not over it - a week later.
𝗜 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁, 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗺𝗮, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚.
This is book 4 in the series and Danny Black, The Brit, and James Kelly, The Enigma, are returning to Miami to continue their hunt for the allusive killer, THE BEAR. And their women are NOT happy. 𝘚𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥, 𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘧𝘪𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥.🤣.
This particular story focuses a lot on Beau and Rose, especially Beau. Her struggles, her losses are front and center and James’ determination to “fix her” while protecting her continues. Rose still has her “right hook” and slap-ready hand….and it will make you chuckle when she unleashes on husband Danny. Oh, and if you’re fond of Danny’s right hand man, Brad, he gets more story here and it seems that it might lead to . . . more. All of the secondary characters are back (I particularly love Danny’s mom and killer/playboy Otto’s budding relationship- which Danny HATES of course). All of these characters lend so much to this story.
𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕗𝕚𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕖𝕝𝕪.
𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕔𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕤𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖.
𝔸𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕪 𝕜𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕞𝕖𝕣𝕔𝕪.
𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓡𝓲𝓼𝓲𝓷𝓰 is intense. It’s steamy. It’s angry. Its unexpected (WOW). It’s even funny at times. You’ll laugh at some of Danny’s comments (so afraid of Rose, it’s adorable…..for a killer of course). In a word?
It’s Brilliant.
Get ready for a plot twist you will NOT see coming. 🐻 I may have yelled ”What the Fck” out loud. Enjoy every word. I did. ❤️📚.
𝙋𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙣 𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙙𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢.
Congratulations Jodi on a brilliant story. Totally blew my mind in the best possible way.
#TopReadOf2023.
February 5, 2023
3/5 ☆
this book was excessively long. some chapters felt like filler that didn't really need to be there. half of the plot just felt like constant back and forth between the two couples. i thought i would've been used to that by now since this was common in the 3 previous books, but it just felt like every other chapter the couples were fighting. danny and rose were particularly toxic in this book and it really turned me off.
plot wise it felt like a lot was happening, especially with beau, that i just couldn't really keep track of it all (also could have been that i just wasn't interested anymore lol). my favorite part was seeing beau and rose get closer. their friendship really blooms here and it was sweet to see them lean on each other, especially for what they go through in this book. same with danny and james - they get closer as well.
not sure if i'll continue this series since it looks like there will be a book 5. i think malpas did it a disservice by not wrapping it up in The Resurrection. she probably could've gotten away doing a novella and giving each couple more of a HEA in that instead of continuing into a 4th book.
this book was excessively long. some chapters felt like filler that didn't really need to be there. half of the plot just felt like constant back and forth between the two couples. i thought i would've been used to that by now since this was common in the 3 previous books, but it just felt like every other chapter the couples were fighting. danny and rose were particularly toxic in this book and it really turned me off.
plot wise it felt like a lot was happening, especially with beau, that i just couldn't really keep track of it all (also could have been that i just wasn't interested anymore lol). my favorite part was seeing beau and rose get closer. their friendship really blooms here and it was sweet to see them lean on each other, especially for what they go through in this book. same with danny and james - they get closer as well.
not sure if i'll continue this series since it looks like there will be a book 5. i think malpas did it a disservice by not wrapping it up in The Resurrection. she probably could've gotten away doing a novella and giving each couple more of a HEA in that instead of continuing into a 4th book.
February 4, 2023
Just when I thought this series couldn’t get any better… BOOM 💥
The Rising is thrilling, gripping, angsty, and suspenseful throughout….Phenomenal! 🇬🇧
The Rising picks up where The Resurrection left off, the first part of the book focusing on the relationships between our Hero’s and Heroine’s. This instalment of the Unlawful Men is a real test on the relationships between Danny and Rose, James and Beau. Tempers and patience is fraying amongst them all, add that to their murderous endeavour to find The Bear …The body count is rising.
Danny and James’ need to love and protect their women is even more fierce, but is it enough? Our favourite anti hero’s are on top form in The Rising 🔥
Rose and Beau both show some real balls in this book, especially Beau, we see the old Beau in this book, before she was broken and left in the darkness shrouding her. She really lives up to her nick name ‘Lara Croft’.
I did feel that this book centred more around James and Beau, it’s a real battle for them to survive together, and a test of their love for one another.
And of course all the secondary characters we already know and love are heavily involved in this book …and some new ones, too. Brad is just brilliant, he brings some fantastic humour to the gang, he’s hilarious! But, there is one conversation involving Ringo, regarding toilet habits lol, that had me in absolute stitches with laugher.
The Rising is written in all four POV’s again, and done very well, might I add.
The story builds at a steady pace of angst and suspense, ending in a crescendo of heart palpitations…really! There were parts that just blew my mind 🤯 The plot twists, the theories, the suspects and the red herrings are just bouncing of the pages, giving me whiplash! Trust no one, suspect everyone…that was my moto lol, and I still got it all wrong 😆
But that ending…WOW! 🫣😳
Obviously there is plenty of steamy, angry love making in there too 🥵
This book is EPIC, a monster of a book, it’s huge! It certainly isn’t a book you speed read, it needs your undivided attention to soak up all the info coming at you thick an fast! It’s packed with action and content…it never stops. Buckle up, it’s quite the ride!
Jodi Ellen Malpas, again, surpasses expectations with The Rising, fantastic penmanship, fantastic story line, totally nailed it!
The Rising gives you all the answers you want and need from the previous books in the series.
The Unlawful Men series is a series that just keeps on giving.
Bravo 👏🏼 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🇬🇧 You must read all the previous books in the Unlawful Men series to fully enjoy and understand The Rising.
The Rising is thrilling, gripping, angsty, and suspenseful throughout….Phenomenal! 🇬🇧
The Rising picks up where The Resurrection left off, the first part of the book focusing on the relationships between our Hero’s and Heroine’s. This instalment of the Unlawful Men is a real test on the relationships between Danny and Rose, James and Beau. Tempers and patience is fraying amongst them all, add that to their murderous endeavour to find The Bear …The body count is rising.
Danny and James’ need to love and protect their women is even more fierce, but is it enough? Our favourite anti hero’s are on top form in The Rising 🔥
Rose and Beau both show some real balls in this book, especially Beau, we see the old Beau in this book, before she was broken and left in the darkness shrouding her. She really lives up to her nick name ‘Lara Croft’.
I did feel that this book centred more around James and Beau, it’s a real battle for them to survive together, and a test of their love for one another.
And of course all the secondary characters we already know and love are heavily involved in this book …and some new ones, too. Brad is just brilliant, he brings some fantastic humour to the gang, he’s hilarious! But, there is one conversation involving Ringo, regarding toilet habits lol, that had me in absolute stitches with laugher.
The Rising is written in all four POV’s again, and done very well, might I add.
The story builds at a steady pace of angst and suspense, ending in a crescendo of heart palpitations…really! There were parts that just blew my mind 🤯 The plot twists, the theories, the suspects and the red herrings are just bouncing of the pages, giving me whiplash! Trust no one, suspect everyone…that was my moto lol, and I still got it all wrong 😆
But that ending…WOW! 🫣😳
Obviously there is plenty of steamy, angry love making in there too 🥵
This book is EPIC, a monster of a book, it’s huge! It certainly isn’t a book you speed read, it needs your undivided attention to soak up all the info coming at you thick an fast! It’s packed with action and content…it never stops. Buckle up, it’s quite the ride!
Jodi Ellen Malpas, again, surpasses expectations with The Rising, fantastic penmanship, fantastic story line, totally nailed it!
The Rising gives you all the answers you want and need from the previous books in the series.
The Unlawful Men series is a series that just keeps on giving.
Bravo 👏🏼 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🇬🇧 You must read all the previous books in the Unlawful Men series to fully enjoy and understand The Rising.
November 13, 2023
If you’ve followed me for a bit I’ve been raving about this series. It’s one of my favorites. But it’s slowly getting out of control and I have a scary feeling I signed myself up for being disappointed.
📔 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼: The Rising by Jodi Ellen Malpas, book 4 in the Unlawful Men series.
📚𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲: Mafia romance
📖 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: In the fourth book of the series, Danny and James continue to search for their arch enemy, in an effort to eliminate The Bear and keep their families safe.
🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: Have you ever read a book that had so many faux pas in it that you’re almost embarrassed to say you still liked it, despite that? I was obsessed with this series and screaming it to the high heavens, but now it feels like I might just quietly continue reading it and keep my mouth shut about it. Why? Well things have gotten a little crazy.
I still loved the four-person POV. And there’s something about how Jodi Ellen Malpas writes hardened men who turn soft for their women, and their internal thoughts about said women, that makes it so you can’t help but swoon.
But this was like going from reading Vogue to a trashy supermarket tabloid. The couples have gotten super toxic. There’s a few moments that made me gasp and have to take a break. There’s a lot unsettled for the entire book. I was writing the review, and took away an extra star because as I thought about it, I was pretty mad at a few things… First, that the series is getting another book with no end in sight, and the plot honestly doesn’t support that. Second, I have actually no idea what the ending meant. It was written vaguely, and I don’t get it. And I’m a good reader, damnit. Lastly, no joke there were a bunch of typos. Like come on.
I’m a little down about this one, because it’s one of my favorite series. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s kind of turned into a dumpster fire… but one I will gladly keep warming my hands at because I can’t stop now.
📝 𝗔 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲… I still highly recommend the first two books in this series. The Brit and the Enigma can be read as stand-alones. And The Resurrection was absolutely wonderful. Maybe… read it as a trilogy.
𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐
𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 3/5 🌶🌶🌶
𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.
📔 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼: The Rising by Jodi Ellen Malpas, book 4 in the Unlawful Men series.
📚𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲: Mafia romance
📖 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: In the fourth book of the series, Danny and James continue to search for their arch enemy, in an effort to eliminate The Bear and keep their families safe.
🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: Have you ever read a book that had so many faux pas in it that you’re almost embarrassed to say you still liked it, despite that? I was obsessed with this series and screaming it to the high heavens, but now it feels like I might just quietly continue reading it and keep my mouth shut about it. Why? Well things have gotten a little crazy.
I still loved the four-person POV. And there’s something about how Jodi Ellen Malpas writes hardened men who turn soft for their women, and their internal thoughts about said women, that makes it so you can’t help but swoon.
But this was like going from reading Vogue to a trashy supermarket tabloid. The couples have gotten super toxic. There’s a few moments that made me gasp and have to take a break. There’s a lot unsettled for the entire book. I was writing the review, and took away an extra star because as I thought about it, I was pretty mad at a few things… First, that the series is getting another book with no end in sight, and the plot honestly doesn’t support that. Second, I have actually no idea what the ending meant. It was written vaguely, and I don’t get it. And I’m a good reader, damnit. Lastly, no joke there were a bunch of typos. Like come on.
I’m a little down about this one, because it’s one of my favorite series. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s kind of turned into a dumpster fire… but one I will gladly keep warming my hands at because I can’t stop now.
📝 𝗔 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲… I still highly recommend the first two books in this series. The Brit and the Enigma can be read as stand-alones. And The Resurrection was absolutely wonderful. Maybe… read it as a trilogy.
𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 3/5 ⭐⭐⭐
𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 3/5 🌶🌶🌶
𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒏 𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.
February 20, 2023
That was such a long book but it was worth it.
I truly enjoyed the previous books from this series and I was eager to start The Rising. I love these two couple and reading their POVs is a treat for me.
My love for mafia romance is going strong! And my mafia men are brillIANT AS EVER in this book. The Rising is sexy, dark and dangerous. The emotions are high with ones that are filled with love and some scenes that are heartbreaking.
The Rising is brilliant and once again JEM has reaffirmed why she is one of my favourite go-to authors.
I truly enjoyed the previous books from this series and I was eager to start The Rising. I love these two couple and reading their POVs is a treat for me.
My love for mafia romance is going strong! And my mafia men are brillIANT AS EVER in this book. The Rising is sexy, dark and dangerous. The emotions are high with ones that are filled with love and some scenes that are heartbreaking.
The Rising is brilliant and once again JEM has reaffirmed why she is one of my favourite go-to authors.
November 1, 2024
Unfortunately, JEM reverted back to her old ways of writing crappy women. Of course, the book is also way too long. Let's get started.
Danny Black (The Britt) and James Kelly (The Enigma) are living their best lives in St. Lucia with their lady loves, Rose and Beau and the rest of the criminal gang. They think they've finally killed off The Bear, but did any of us really believe Perry Adams was capable of being him?? Nobody with a brain would believe that!! So now everyone is forced to return to Miami and figure out who is trying to kill them all.
Rose is still pregnant. Her and Danny are doing well, with the exception of one stupid freaking move at the beginning of the book when she tries to accuse Danny of raping her. This nearly made me throw my phone out the window. That's pretty much the only time she's a major twat during this book. There are other times she gets on my nerves, but not terrible, unlike how Beau behaves.
Danny is still giving Otto hell for dating his mother, Esther. It's funny and annoying. I wish we'd have gotten a little action between them, at least to see them kiss or an ass grab or something.
Goldie is showing more of a girlie side and the whole crew give her hell about it, especially Ringo. I've had my fingers crossed that those two would hook up. There were times where it really seemed we were being led in that direction, but nothing ever materialized.
Brad Black (Danny's cousin, strip club owner) is thrown for a loop during an altercation with The Bear. He acts like a complete fool. Then there's an incident where new characters are introduced and Pearl (rescued from human trafficking ring) is now an unwanted temptation for him. Their story is told in the next book and it freaking sucked. Made me hate Brad.
Finally, James and Beau. That twat Beau can't move past anything. She refuses to marry James because he killed Dexter. She wants a baby and then she doesn't. She keeps jerking his chain. She's still hung up on Ollie and won't cut those ties. She's always trying to go out on her own and getting injured. She basically makes James run around like a chicken with its head cut off. The poor guy deserves so much better than her stupid ass. By the end, I completely loathed her. He really needed to kick her ass to the curb. I honestly can't think of one single thing I like about her.
In the end, we do find out who The Bear is. Was I surprised? Yes and no. By the end, there were only a few characters left to choose from. In The Enigma, when Dexter was revealed to be one of the bad guys, now that shocked me. I never saw that one coming. Some people might be shocked in this one. Hopefully you are and get something fun out of it. I didn't like how it went, though. The best way to hide the bad guys identity is by putting them right in front of your face. You can't have them on the backburner the entire time and then SURPRISE. That's boring.
I do still love how Danny & James are BFFs. The only time you got any laughs or enjoyment is when it was one of their POVs.
Overall, I was disappointed in this one.
I probably would have given this a 4, despite the length, if it hadn't been for Beau. She sucks.
Danny Black (The Britt) and James Kelly (The Enigma) are living their best lives in St. Lucia with their lady loves, Rose and Beau and the rest of the criminal gang. They think they've finally killed off The Bear, but did any of us really believe Perry Adams was capable of being him?? Nobody with a brain would believe that!! So now everyone is forced to return to Miami and figure out who is trying to kill them all.
Rose is still pregnant. Her and Danny are doing well, with the exception of one stupid freaking move at the beginning of the book when she tries to accuse Danny of raping her. This nearly made me throw my phone out the window. That's pretty much the only time she's a major twat during this book. There are other times she gets on my nerves, but not terrible, unlike how Beau behaves.
Danny is still giving Otto hell for dating his mother, Esther. It's funny and annoying. I wish we'd have gotten a little action between them, at least to see them kiss or an ass grab or something.
Goldie is showing more of a girlie side and the whole crew give her hell about it, especially Ringo. I've had my fingers crossed that those two would hook up. There were times where it really seemed we were being led in that direction, but nothing ever materialized.
Brad Black (Danny's cousin, strip club owner) is thrown for a loop during an altercation with The Bear. He acts like a complete fool. Then there's an incident where new characters are introduced and Pearl (rescued from human trafficking ring) is now an unwanted temptation for him. Their story is told in the next book and it freaking sucked. Made me hate Brad.
Finally, James and Beau. That twat Beau can't move past anything. She refuses to marry James because he killed Dexter. She wants a baby and then she doesn't. She keeps jerking his chain. She's still hung up on Ollie and won't cut those ties. She's always trying to go out on her own and getting injured. She basically makes James run around like a chicken with its head cut off. The poor guy deserves so much better than her stupid ass. By the end, I completely loathed her. He really needed to kick her ass to the curb. I honestly can't think of one single thing I like about her.
In the end, we do find out who The Bear is. Was I surprised? Yes and no. By the end, there were only a few characters left to choose from. In The Enigma, when Dexter was revealed to be one of the bad guys, now that shocked me. I never saw that one coming. Some people might be shocked in this one. Hopefully you are and get something fun out of it. I didn't like how it went, though. The best way to hide the bad guys identity is by putting them right in front of your face. You can't have them on the backburner the entire time and then SURPRISE. That's boring.
I do still love how Danny & James are BFFs. The only time you got any laughs or enjoyment is when it was one of their POVs.
Overall, I was disappointed in this one.
I probably would have given this a 4, despite the length, if it hadn't been for Beau. She sucks.
March 28, 2023
What a crazy surprising ending!!!
February 4, 2023
just finished it and omfg! absolutely brilliant! I laughed, I cried, the tension was killing me and I didn't expect that ending at all and eho The Bear 🐻 was
definitely 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
can't wait for more! spoiler free review on my blog soon
definitely 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
can't wait for more! spoiler free review on my blog soon
February 3, 2023
'Enamoured, entranced & entertained from the first to last page. Jodi Ellen Malpas rises above the rest with the latest Unlawful Men instalment so good, you'll be reading with your jaw to the floor! - The British Bibliophile
Thank you to Valentine PR for sending me an ebook Advanced Readers Copy for me to read and leave an honest review
The Rising by Jodi Ellen Malpas is the fourth instalment into the explosive, bloody, growling world of the Unlawful Men and their unruly women. Danny and James less than gently inserted themselves into Rose & Beau's lives, but soon became a permanent and precious fixture despite the many things trying to keep them apart.
The need for more of this foursome has been blooming since book one, The Brit , where we first met the angel-faced assassin, Danny Black. Like the impending storm and unstoppable force that he is, he rolls into Rose Cassidy's life with no intention of being anything but the brutish Brit that he's known and feared to be. However, they weren't meant to be alone for long. Cue, The Enigma . With book two comes our second alpha male, James Kelly and equally as alpha in her own right, Beau Hayley. Their beginning is as explosive as their love, and fuel is only added to the fire as they go. The Resurrection brings to the fore enemies of both alpha males, and they have two choices. Face them together, or don't. Wisely, they choose the former and the unlikely team of The Brit and The Enigma was born.
Since leaving things as they were in The Resurrection , there have been several questions on the minds of eager readers hungry for more of Danny, James, Brad and the gang. Namely, who is The Bear? That's a question that has plagued readers for over hundreds and hundreds of pages, prompting the guessing game to see if we were right by the time we find out who it it. (FYI: I didn't get it right). Jodi is an absolute master at keeping identities hidden and even throwing a spanner--or two--into the works just when you think you have things figured out. Queen of plot-twist whiplash, if you will. Her writing talent knows no bounds and I cannot think of another author, in her genre, that equates to how incredible she is. If you were blown away with how things were left in The Resurrection hold on tight for things to get twice as blowy--in more ways than one--in The Rising .
The Rising stays flawlessly true to the tone and feel as the other books in the series, while also elevating itself--rising, if you will--above to become something all its own. It echoes everything we've grown to know and love about the characters, their journeys, where they came from and where they're going to while giving us something new on every other page. Everything is escalated from the moments that had you biting your nails and holding your breath, the moments your jaw barely left the floor, the gut-churning angst, drama so worthy of an award, and surprises that send your head into a spin. It. Has. It. All.
More than one thing rose in this novel, if you know what I mean. That and the amount of mouth-scorching spicy and steamy scenes. There is often the comment made about having 'too many' sex scenes in a book, but I personally don't believe in such a thing and it's a good thing too! Beau, Rose, Danny and James in their respective pairs crank up the heat--and the action--to inferno type levels! I won't divulge or digress into the multiple and multitude of ways in which these events come to pass, but grab those fans, ice and anything to cool yourselves down. You're going to need it! Just when I thought I knew every which way 'it' could be done, Jodi surprises me and has caused several bruises from biting my lip too hard. No complaints here. I--like the characters--enjoyed those scenes and cannot say enough how much I appreciate Jodi for going there and giving us them. Notes definitely taken for future reference.
Danny, James, Rose and Beau have swiftly become firm favourites for myself and other JEM readers all within their own right. Jodi never fails to write a character that will be a hit and become a favourite for somebody, but this awesome foursome have such a hold on myself and other readers, it's simply impossible that we will be done or will be able to forget about them long after the Unlawful Men series has been long-since published and other novels following it. Danny and James are two of her strongest, most formidable men who have more to offer than they give themselves credit for. A sensitivity that lingers below the surface and love that can only be brought out by someone who is their other half as much as they are their equal. Rose and Beau. These ladies are the very definition of resilience, strength, determination, perseverance, loyalty, courage, bravery and so much more. They've been through--and continue to be put through--things that we would only hear about, let alone experience. On top of that, to be able to resist, stand up to and rebel against two men like Danny and James while knowing, expecting and accepting the consequences (sometimes), they are two of the most inspirational characters in the whole of literature. Fact.
Despite the endless events the characters are put through, their resolve to remain as one with each other is worth it and they're all worth fighting for. They're no longer in the darkness but are heading towards a lighter, brighter future not as The Brit or The Enigma, but as Danny and James with Rose and Beau at their sides.
I've been looking forward to this read for a very long time, and was over the moon when Jodi announced that there would be a fourth book after the outstanding reception and success of book one, two and three. There are certain authors, books and book series that come along that leave more than a lasting impression to a reader and Jodi, her books and this series in particular, is all three of those things for me. I read a lot, therefore a lot of characters, stories and series pass through my hands and grace my eyes, but this series--and The Rising has been something so remarkable, its up there with my favourite books of all time.
Immediately after finishing this novel, I took to Twitter to express just how much in awe I was left after turning the final page twenty-four hours after turning the first one. I said three things to Jodi. One, 'firstly, a round of applause & standing ovation for you'. Two, 'this is a top 2023 book right here'. Three, 'OH-EM-GEE'. I echo those stamens here in this review. For this book Jodi deserves nothing more than all the applause and a standing ovation from every reader out of their seat while doing so. It's my second top read of 2023 and quite honestly, I'll go so far as to say I might have found my top read of the year overall. The bar has been set aloft and very high, so much so that it's going to take a lot to match what this read brought to the table.
Thank you, Jodi, for giving it your all--and your longest book to date--with this novel and series. Your efforts have more than paid off and all those hours typing away, bleeding everything into The Rising was more than worth it. I don't think my review will even do what you've given to us, justice, but please know that this is going to be a novel I will be recommending and devouring for the foreseeable future.
Danny, Rose, James & Beau...five stars!
Thank you to Valentine PR for sending me an ebook Advanced Readers Copy for me to read and leave an honest review
The Rising by Jodi Ellen Malpas is the fourth instalment into the explosive, bloody, growling world of the Unlawful Men and their unruly women. Danny and James less than gently inserted themselves into Rose & Beau's lives, but soon became a permanent and precious fixture despite the many things trying to keep them apart.
The need for more of this foursome has been blooming since book one, The Brit , where we first met the angel-faced assassin, Danny Black. Like the impending storm and unstoppable force that he is, he rolls into Rose Cassidy's life with no intention of being anything but the brutish Brit that he's known and feared to be. However, they weren't meant to be alone for long. Cue, The Enigma . With book two comes our second alpha male, James Kelly and equally as alpha in her own right, Beau Hayley. Their beginning is as explosive as their love, and fuel is only added to the fire as they go. The Resurrection brings to the fore enemies of both alpha males, and they have two choices. Face them together, or don't. Wisely, they choose the former and the unlikely team of The Brit and The Enigma was born.
Since leaving things as they were in The Resurrection , there have been several questions on the minds of eager readers hungry for more of Danny, James, Brad and the gang. Namely, who is The Bear? That's a question that has plagued readers for over hundreds and hundreds of pages, prompting the guessing game to see if we were right by the time we find out who it it. (FYI: I didn't get it right). Jodi is an absolute master at keeping identities hidden and even throwing a spanner--or two--into the works just when you think you have things figured out. Queen of plot-twist whiplash, if you will. Her writing talent knows no bounds and I cannot think of another author, in her genre, that equates to how incredible she is. If you were blown away with how things were left in The Resurrection hold on tight for things to get twice as blowy--in more ways than one--in The Rising .
The Rising stays flawlessly true to the tone and feel as the other books in the series, while also elevating itself--rising, if you will--above to become something all its own. It echoes everything we've grown to know and love about the characters, their journeys, where they came from and where they're going to while giving us something new on every other page. Everything is escalated from the moments that had you biting your nails and holding your breath, the moments your jaw barely left the floor, the gut-churning angst, drama so worthy of an award, and surprises that send your head into a spin. It. Has. It. All.
More than one thing rose in this novel, if you know what I mean. That and the amount of mouth-scorching spicy and steamy scenes. There is often the comment made about having 'too many' sex scenes in a book, but I personally don't believe in such a thing and it's a good thing too! Beau, Rose, Danny and James in their respective pairs crank up the heat--and the action--to inferno type levels! I won't divulge or digress into the multiple and multitude of ways in which these events come to pass, but grab those fans, ice and anything to cool yourselves down. You're going to need it! Just when I thought I knew every which way 'it' could be done, Jodi surprises me and has caused several bruises from biting my lip too hard. No complaints here. I--like the characters--enjoyed those scenes and cannot say enough how much I appreciate Jodi for going there and giving us them. Notes definitely taken for future reference.
Danny, James, Rose and Beau have swiftly become firm favourites for myself and other JEM readers all within their own right. Jodi never fails to write a character that will be a hit and become a favourite for somebody, but this awesome foursome have such a hold on myself and other readers, it's simply impossible that we will be done or will be able to forget about them long after the Unlawful Men series has been long-since published and other novels following it. Danny and James are two of her strongest, most formidable men who have more to offer than they give themselves credit for. A sensitivity that lingers below the surface and love that can only be brought out by someone who is their other half as much as they are their equal. Rose and Beau. These ladies are the very definition of resilience, strength, determination, perseverance, loyalty, courage, bravery and so much more. They've been through--and continue to be put through--things that we would only hear about, let alone experience. On top of that, to be able to resist, stand up to and rebel against two men like Danny and James while knowing, expecting and accepting the consequences (sometimes), they are two of the most inspirational characters in the whole of literature. Fact.
Despite the endless events the characters are put through, their resolve to remain as one with each other is worth it and they're all worth fighting for. They're no longer in the darkness but are heading towards a lighter, brighter future not as The Brit or The Enigma, but as Danny and James with Rose and Beau at their sides.
I've been looking forward to this read for a very long time, and was over the moon when Jodi announced that there would be a fourth book after the outstanding reception and success of book one, two and three. There are certain authors, books and book series that come along that leave more than a lasting impression to a reader and Jodi, her books and this series in particular, is all three of those things for me. I read a lot, therefore a lot of characters, stories and series pass through my hands and grace my eyes, but this series--and The Rising has been something so remarkable, its up there with my favourite books of all time.
Immediately after finishing this novel, I took to Twitter to express just how much in awe I was left after turning the final page twenty-four hours after turning the first one. I said three things to Jodi. One, 'firstly, a round of applause & standing ovation for you'. Two, 'this is a top 2023 book right here'. Three, 'OH-EM-GEE'. I echo those stamens here in this review. For this book Jodi deserves nothing more than all the applause and a standing ovation from every reader out of their seat while doing so. It's my second top read of 2023 and quite honestly, I'll go so far as to say I might have found my top read of the year overall. The bar has been set aloft and very high, so much so that it's going to take a lot to match what this read brought to the table.
Thank you, Jodi, for giving it your all--and your longest book to date--with this novel and series. Your efforts have more than paid off and all those hours typing away, bleeding everything into The Rising was more than worth it. I don't think my review will even do what you've given to us, justice, but please know that this is going to be a novel I will be recommending and devouring for the foreseeable future.
Danny, Rose, James & Beau...five stars!
February 20, 2023
This was a highly anticipated read for me that unfortunately didn’t meet my expectations. This story had so much promise but I got tired of the couples fighting constantly. It seemed every chapter was Danny and Rose fighting while every other chapter and James and Beau fighting. I get it, they have messed up pasts and trauma they never dealt with. But for everything this story had built up about The Bear and him coming after them, that wasn’t even the focal point of this book. I wanted more of the story behind The Bear and why he was terrorizing them. I wanted more of the crime/mafia family side of things.
I do love this highly dysfunctional found family and Beau and Rose’s friendship really blossomed. The last 10% of the book was exactly what I had wanted throughout the entire book. Unfortunately, I don’t think it made up for the 600 pages of senseless fighting. I really wanted to love this book but at the end of the day, it was way too long, felt like lots of filler and and I think the couples constantly fighting did me in. I couldn’t take it anymore. I wish I loved The Rising, but I didn’t.
I do love this highly dysfunctional found family and Beau and Rose’s friendship really blossomed. The last 10% of the book was exactly what I had wanted throughout the entire book. Unfortunately, I don’t think it made up for the 600 pages of senseless fighting. I really wanted to love this book but at the end of the day, it was way too long, felt like lots of filler and and I think the couples constantly fighting did me in. I couldn’t take it anymore. I wish I loved The Rising, but I didn’t.
March 21, 2023
I really wanted to love this book, heck this series even. However, nothing happened for most of the book. Both couples are toxic, the men kill people, they make “love”, rinse and repeat. What happened to the plot? It as a repeat of the last book. Pretty disappointed.
March 31, 2024
I don´t understand how Jodi keeps pushing the bar higher and higher, but she has truly outdone herself with The Rising. Plot twists and unexpected turns await the reader at any given moment in the book - don´t ever think you are safe just because it´s the first few chapters. Not many authors can handle writing a book with 4 POVs and clarity, and Jodi has done it twice. And when I tell you that the ending is THE MOST UNEXPECTED THING I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCES - I´m not lying. And trust me when I say you won´t see it coming either.
The Rising had me biting my nails within the first pages because Jodi didn´t leave any room for us to catch out breaths. Between Rose + Danny and Beau + James, I need pair therapy and I´m freaking single. This book is full of loving and caring moments that will make you swoon, but where the love is most prominent are the scenes entwined with danger—those scenes where all the characters are willing to die for their beloved partners, those really screamed unconditional and unbreakable love. Does that make me weird? Maybe, but if you are a sucker for these types of stories, then this series is for you.
As for the characters, I simply love them all and don´t know what else to say. Danny and James are both fucked up in the best way possible, but then so are Rose and Beau, just differently. All four of them are such strong and fierce characters on their own, but seeing their power combined was just magnificent. I have to applaud Jodi for handling their emotions and storylines the way she did.
This entire series is a masterpiece and no one can convince me otherwise!
The Rising had me biting my nails within the first pages because Jodi didn´t leave any room for us to catch out breaths. Between Rose + Danny and Beau + James, I need pair therapy and I´m freaking single. This book is full of loving and caring moments that will make you swoon, but where the love is most prominent are the scenes entwined with danger—those scenes where all the characters are willing to die for their beloved partners, those really screamed unconditional and unbreakable love. Does that make me weird? Maybe, but if you are a sucker for these types of stories, then this series is for you.
As for the characters, I simply love them all and don´t know what else to say. Danny and James are both fucked up in the best way possible, but then so are Rose and Beau, just differently. All four of them are such strong and fierce characters on their own, but seeing their power combined was just magnificent. I have to applaud Jodi for handling their emotions and storylines the way she did.
This entire series is a masterpiece and no one can convince me otherwise!
March 25, 2025
“I’ve always wondered who’d come out on top between The Brit and The Enigma.” His head tilts. “So let’s find out.”
I’m speechless! Blown away, literally. Jodi’s writing talent is out of this world! Living in Danny and James world has been a nail biting ride. The angst, the drama, the surprises in this series just got better with each book! If you don’t walk away after reading this series and as a woman say to yourself Rose and Beau are two of the strongest heroines I’ve ever read, I don’t think you read what I did! Their strength, fortitude, perseverance and courage to continue was so inspiring! Amazing series! I don’t want it to end! As always Jodi know how to write a spicy scene! And there were many! These two couples will definitely always be remembered!
“Family. We’re one big fucked-up family. Fucked up, yes, but we all have each other.”
I’m speechless! Blown away, literally. Jodi’s writing talent is out of this world! Living in Danny and James world has been a nail biting ride. The angst, the drama, the surprises in this series just got better with each book! If you don’t walk away after reading this series and as a woman say to yourself Rose and Beau are two of the strongest heroines I’ve ever read, I don’t think you read what I did! Their strength, fortitude, perseverance and courage to continue was so inspiring! Amazing series! I don’t want it to end! As always Jodi know how to write a spicy scene! And there were many! These two couples will definitely always be remembered!
“Family. We’re one big fucked-up family. Fucked up, yes, but we all have each other.”
February 20, 2023
I have thoroughly loved this series and this him was another fantastic installment! The blend between romance and suspense kept me on the edge of my seat as I was rooting for Danny, Rose, James and Beau! Even though these characters are totally prepared to move on from the life of organized crime, it keeps pulling them in. My heart broke for the ladies several times as they endured all the emotional stress right along their husbands. But all least they had each other which is where this book really pulled me in. This group is like an extended family now and I loved all of the ins and outs of the ensemble cast. Don’t miss this series!
May 3, 2023
5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
OMG my heart is beating soooo fast right now . I can't believe I just finished the book . It was sooo sooo amazing , I couldn't put it down . James and Beau are my absolute favorite couple . Iam soooo happy that they finally found their happily ever after and Danny and rose , I love you so much guys 😘 😘 every thing about this book was perfect . Iam Soo dying to read book 5 right now 😂😂😂
OMG my heart is beating soooo fast right now . I can't believe I just finished the book . It was sooo sooo amazing , I couldn't put it down . James and Beau are my absolute favorite couple . Iam soooo happy that they finally found their happily ever after and Danny and rose , I love you so much guys 😘 😘 every thing about this book was perfect . Iam Soo dying to read book 5 right now 😂😂😂
February 15, 2023
The Risen
Well do I need to say Jodi has done it again, griped me from page one , old friends and new . So many twists and turns , just when you are sure who the bear is we then have another twist.
When we finally find out it is such a shock , totally unexpected,well done Jodi another 5 star read can highly reccommend 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Well do I need to say Jodi has done it again, griped me from page one , old friends and new . So many twists and turns , just when you are sure who the bear is we then have another twist.
When we finally find out it is such a shock , totally unexpected,well done Jodi another 5 star read can highly reccommend 🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
February 24, 2023
i finished the rising last week and i’m still trying to process it. nothing i say will ever equate to how incredible this book is. there was several times i just wanted to rush through to finish but i wanted to savour it because beau & rose are two of my favourite characters from any book i’ve read. i do love danny and james also!! another 5 out of 5 star from jodi once again.
August 26, 2025
If I didn’t adore these characters so much I would be so annoyed with how the main plot wraps up. This book is filler but such good filler. This kookoo family never fails at making me laugh. Honestly the friendship and love between Danny, James, Beau and Rose had me more in a chokehold than their own romantic relationships. Going to miss them LOADS!
April 7, 2023
5 Audible Stars
Love all of there voices
Love all of there voices
February 27, 2024
4.5 ⭐️
July 19, 2023
The Brit brought us Danny Black
-an angel-faced assassin
The Enigma brought us James Kelly
-a mysterious shadow set on revenge
The Resurrection brought Danny and James together. Taking everything that you thought about the first two books as individuals, doubled over into a more explosive and mind blowing read.
Two Men.
One Goal.
No Mercy.
**Read all three previous book to truly enjoy what The Rising has to offer**
The Rising brings everything to a fiery conclusion
Tormented by love, followed by death, Danny, James & co. go head to head with their nemesis “The Bear”.
The Rising picks up right where The Resurrection left us. This book is going to test the relationships between Danny and Rose, James and Beau. Every time they get a taste of what “peace” could feel like, it quickly comes crashing down. Causing tempers to rise and patience to fray. Let’s not forget the added stress that their murderous trek for The Bear is causing.
Having been brought back from the ever elusive “peace” that these four have been searching for, they find themselves back in Miami for one final showdown.
Rose and Beau show some real strength throughout this books. Beau especially, we get to see her find herself again (The Beau, we loved in book 2) before she let the darkness win over the light. She really showed us why she was nicknamed ‘Lara Croft’.
The Rising is written from all four POVs again, focusing a little bit more on James and Beau. At least that is what it felt like to me The two of them really get put through the ringer and their relationship takes a beating, as their love for each other is tested.
The secondary characters do not disappoint. Brad continues to be a bright spot in the heavy darkness that surrounds the ‘family’. He brings much needed laughter when things are looking grim. I mean how else can you discuss toilet habits and not laugh out loud. Some of the conversations Brad brings up just had me rolling
JEM does a beautiful job telling the story from four different POVs. As we unravel more secrets, the story continues to build steadily with equals amounts of suspense and angst. Complete with jaw dropping moments and heart stopping revelations. There were parts that I just did not see coming The plot twists, the theories that the men cooked up, the growing list of “Bear” potentials. Just keep you on the edge of your seat.
Trust No One. Friends Close, Enemies Closer
The Ending….just 🤯🤯
And of course in true JEM fashion, she brought us plenty of steamy, and some angry/hate spice along the way. 🥵🔥
This monster of a book was completely EPIC. It took me 3 days to read it. I gave this book my undivided attention. No other books existed while this one was opened. I soaked it all up and enjoyed every minute of it. Jodi Ellen Malpas takes you for one hell of a ride, surpassing any and all expectations that this book has. Fantastic all around.
Thank you to JEM and ValentinePR for the advanced copy.
simply.shannon💜📚
Instagram | Goodreads | Bookbub | Amazon 💫
-an angel-faced assassin
The Enigma brought us James Kelly
-a mysterious shadow set on revenge
The Resurrection brought Danny and James together. Taking everything that you thought about the first two books as individuals, doubled over into a more explosive and mind blowing read.
Two Men.
One Goal.
No Mercy.
**Read all three previous book to truly enjoy what The Rising has to offer**
The Rising brings everything to a fiery conclusion
Tormented by love, followed by death, Danny, James & co. go head to head with their nemesis “The Bear”.
The Rising picks up right where The Resurrection left us. This book is going to test the relationships between Danny and Rose, James and Beau. Every time they get a taste of what “peace” could feel like, it quickly comes crashing down. Causing tempers to rise and patience to fray. Let’s not forget the added stress that their murderous trek for The Bear is causing.
Having been brought back from the ever elusive “peace” that these four have been searching for, they find themselves back in Miami for one final showdown.
Rose and Beau show some real strength throughout this books. Beau especially, we get to see her find herself again (The Beau, we loved in book 2) before she let the darkness win over the light. She really showed us why she was nicknamed ‘Lara Croft’.
The Rising is written from all four POVs again, focusing a little bit more on James and Beau. At least that is what it felt like to me The two of them really get put through the ringer and their relationship takes a beating, as their love for each other is tested.
The secondary characters do not disappoint. Brad continues to be a bright spot in the heavy darkness that surrounds the ‘family’. He brings much needed laughter when things are looking grim. I mean how else can you discuss toilet habits and not laugh out loud. Some of the conversations Brad brings up just had me rolling
JEM does a beautiful job telling the story from four different POVs. As we unravel more secrets, the story continues to build steadily with equals amounts of suspense and angst. Complete with jaw dropping moments and heart stopping revelations. There were parts that I just did not see coming The plot twists, the theories that the men cooked up, the growing list of “Bear” potentials. Just keep you on the edge of your seat.
Trust No One. Friends Close, Enemies Closer
The Ending….just 🤯🤯
And of course in true JEM fashion, she brought us plenty of steamy, and some angry/hate spice along the way. 🥵🔥
This monster of a book was completely EPIC. It took me 3 days to read it. I gave this book my undivided attention. No other books existed while this one was opened. I soaked it all up and enjoyed every minute of it. Jodi Ellen Malpas takes you for one hell of a ride, surpassing any and all expectations that this book has. Fantastic all around.
Thank you to JEM and ValentinePR for the advanced copy.
simply.shannon💜📚
Instagram | Goodreads | Bookbub | Amazon 💫
September 12, 2023
The Rising has been one of my most anticipated reads after reading and loving the journey of Danny, Rose, James and Beau in the previous 3 books. The relationships, the cohesive and bloody storylines and the way all of these characters have bonded through this life. Broken, destroyed, but never down for the count. These four will always rise.
Book 4 starts off right where The Resurrection left off. If you haven't read the previous books, stop right now and start with The Brit. These books MUST be read in order.
The gang is in St Lucia and enjoying their down time until they realized their last job was indeed not complete. They did not take down the guy they were supposed to and that person is still out there. So, The Brit and The Enigma need to return to Miami to finish the job they started.
The Rising is a BEAST of a book, coming in at a whopping 600 pages!! When you deal with the mafia and all the moving parts, I can understand the length and meat of the book. Unfortunately for this one, I think we could've cut this book in half. The first half had a lot of couple fights and overly dramatic situations between the couples that was unnecessary. But what came out of that was seeing the strong relationship between the women. I loved witnessing the friendship that has grown between Rose and Beau and how they've come to connect over the course of this series. But the toxicity between the couples? A bit too much and not my thing. Yes, they all have dark pasts, but this was a bit overboard with the pushing and fighting between the individual couples. Give me all the action and the story of The Bear and everyone else that had to do with The Brit and The Enigma's pasts. That's what I was there for.
With that said, while the first half was a lot of filler and not what I expected, it was the second half that kept my attention. The "family" and the action. And bringing new characters into the mix. Seeing Brad off kilter my an unlikely character and Otto being all Alpha for Danny's mom? YES!
Overall, this was a middle of the road book because the second half shined. I just wish it wasn't so long. 3.5 stars.
Book 4 starts off right where The Resurrection left off. If you haven't read the previous books, stop right now and start with The Brit. These books MUST be read in order.
The gang is in St Lucia and enjoying their down time until they realized their last job was indeed not complete. They did not take down the guy they were supposed to and that person is still out there. So, The Brit and The Enigma need to return to Miami to finish the job they started.
The Rising is a BEAST of a book, coming in at a whopping 600 pages!! When you deal with the mafia and all the moving parts, I can understand the length and meat of the book. Unfortunately for this one, I think we could've cut this book in half. The first half had a lot of couple fights and overly dramatic situations between the couples that was unnecessary. But what came out of that was seeing the strong relationship between the women. I loved witnessing the friendship that has grown between Rose and Beau and how they've come to connect over the course of this series. But the toxicity between the couples? A bit too much and not my thing. Yes, they all have dark pasts, but this was a bit overboard with the pushing and fighting between the individual couples. Give me all the action and the story of The Bear and everyone else that had to do with The Brit and The Enigma's pasts. That's what I was there for.
With that said, while the first half was a lot of filler and not what I expected, it was the second half that kept my attention. The "family" and the action. And bringing new characters into the mix. Seeing Brad off kilter my an unlikely character and Otto being all Alpha for Danny's mom? YES!
Overall, this was a middle of the road book because the second half shined. I just wish it wasn't so long. 3.5 stars.
April 10, 2023
"Family. We’re one big fucked-up family. Fucked up, yes, but we all have each other."
The Rising starts off right were The Resurrection left off, so I'm not going to go into any detail about the plot- this series should be read in order. But you get more Danny, Rose, Beau and James- who I have absolutely loved thus far. SO I hate to say it, but this book threatened to ruin all that.
There was WAY TOO MUCH bickering in the book. It got on my nerves. And started to change the way I felt about these characters. Danny especially. And I hated that. Sure there were some redeeming moments. Emotion. Action. Steam. And feels. I do love this authors writing style. But this book felt dragged out by filler that in places made no sense. The whole 'can't move/massage scene' just did not fit with these men what so ever. There was more silliness than I felt fit the storyline. While I love the friendships and found family feel... and JAMES... I hate to say it, but I feel like this one was just not necessary to this series.
Will I read the next one? Probably.
3.5 Stars ⭐
The Rising starts off right were The Resurrection left off, so I'm not going to go into any detail about the plot- this series should be read in order. But you get more Danny, Rose, Beau and James- who I have absolutely loved thus far. SO I hate to say it, but this book threatened to ruin all that.
There was WAY TOO MUCH bickering in the book. It got on my nerves. And started to change the way I felt about these characters. Danny especially. And I hated that. Sure there were some redeeming moments. Emotion. Action. Steam. And feels. I do love this authors writing style. But this book felt dragged out by filler that in places made no sense. The whole 'can't move/massage scene' just did not fit with these men what so ever. There was more silliness than I felt fit the storyline. While I love the friendships and found family feel... and JAMES... I hate to say it, but I feel like this one was just not necessary to this series.
Will I read the next one? Probably.
3.5 Stars ⭐
February 16, 2023
***ARC Provided by the Author***
I have no idea how to review this one without spoilers. Absolutely no idea.
So I'm going to tell you the things you need to know to read it.
It's absolutely, definitely not a standalone. If you are starting here, turn back and go to book one, you'll have no idea what's happening otherwise.
If you've read the other books, this is an excellent continuation of the story that grabs you from page one.
If dark romance, assassins and the mafia bother you, this isn't your book. Although you'd have given up by now... so if you're still reading you are as fascinated by these men and women as you were in the first books.
I loved the wild ride of this one and I can't wait for the next in the series.
I enjoyed and recommend this title.
I have no idea how to review this one without spoilers. Absolutely no idea.
So I'm going to tell you the things you need to know to read it.
It's absolutely, definitely not a standalone. If you are starting here, turn back and go to book one, you'll have no idea what's happening otherwise.
If you've read the other books, this is an excellent continuation of the story that grabs you from page one.
If dark romance, assassins and the mafia bother you, this isn't your book. Although you'd have given up by now... so if you're still reading you are as fascinated by these men and women as you were in the first books.
I loved the wild ride of this one and I can't wait for the next in the series.
I enjoyed and recommend this title.
April 10, 2023
Well I was kind of right about The Bear…this one picks right back up from book 3. Rose is pregnant still pissing off Danny and he her. Same for Beau and James. I really don’t get why these guys have to try and hide stuff from them. They ALWAYS find out and then retaliate lol.
This one was action packed and we FINALLY find out who the bear is. I kind of expected it and called 1 of the 3 involved in it. Let’s just say I feel so bad for Beau. All of these characters have severe trauma and angst, but I feel Beau was the one to feel the most lost and pain throughout this series. I loved the end of this book and can’t wait for book 5!
This one was action packed and we FINALLY find out who the bear is. I kind of expected it and called 1 of the 3 involved in it. Let’s just say I feel so bad for Beau. All of these characters have severe trauma and angst, but I feel Beau was the one to feel the most lost and pain throughout this series. I loved the end of this book and can’t wait for book 5!
August 4, 2023
Torn between 4.5 or 5 stars for this book. I have LOVED the Unlawful Men series and The Rising was such a thrilling conclusion to Danny/Rose/James/and Beau’s stories. Seriously my favorite mafia romance series everrrrr. The four different POV’s actually weren’t confusing at all! The one thing keeping me from giving this a “true” 5 star is the fact that for this book, I probably wouldn’t reread it just because the suspense/plot twists wouldn’t hit the same the second time, you know?? But overall this book was amazing and I can’t wait for book 5! JEM has set it up perfectly for Brad and Pearl’s story!!
April 11, 2023
I'm not really sure why this book was necessary; I felt the story was just dragging on at this point. After about 25% in and nothing actually happened I started skimming through just to see how it would end. Danny and Rose fought way too much and Rose became a complete nutjob which really is disappointing. James and Beau were sweet and I enjoyed their scenes, but overall this book was just a big let down.
March 17, 2023
Loved this can’t wait for the next one!
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