I rule this city with bloodstained hands. The crime boss who takes what he wants.
And I wanted her. So I took her freedom.
I expected her fury. Her fire. Her fight.
Instead, she gave me silence.
Empty eyes. A broken doll that I never wanted. Now I’m the one unraveling. Drowning in guilt I'm not supposed to feel. I can't let El see how much I need her smile back. Soon, she'll know the Her tears aren’t my victory. They’re my undoing. And the moment she stopped fighting me,
I became the one captive to her.
Read on A dark mafia romance featuring St. Louis’ most ruthless enforcer and the woman whose silence brings him to his knees. Get ready for forced proximity, a shocking change of heart, and a powerfully emotional journey to love.
Let Me Go tells the story of Alessio, a ruthless crime boss, who becomes obsessed with El, an EMT, after she treats him for a gunshot wound. He kidnaps her, expecting her to fight him, but instead, she withdraws, becoming silent and broken. Alessio is then faced with the consequences of his actions and must confront his own emotions as he tries to bring back the woman he captured.
When I read this book, I was struck by how deeply it explored the darker side of obsession and the sheer emotional weight of captivity. It really made me think about the tangled web of power dynamics and the constant struggle for control. Alessio, in particular, was a fascinating character to dissect. He wasn't just a ruthless crime boss; he was a man torn apart by guilt and desperation, and I felt like the author did a fantastic job of showing that inner conflict.
El's journey was equally compelling. Her silence, in the face of what she endured, spoke volumes about her resilience and the profound impact of trauma. It wasn't just a simple story of Stockholm syndrome; it felt real and raw. I appreciated that the book didn't try to gloss over the emotional fallout of the characters' actions. It avoided that typical romanticization of kidnapping, which I found refreshing.
Even the secondary characters, like Leo and Matteo, felt fully fleshed out, adding layers and depth to the overall narrative. They weren't just background figures; they had their own stories to tell.
Now, I did notice, and some other reviewers pointed out, that there were moments of repetition, and the pacing of the romance felt a little off at times. Honestly, that did pull me out of the story a bit.
Finally, I think it's important to mention the interracial aspect of the romance. It was a central theme, and the author handled it with a clear awareness of the dark context of the story. It wasn't just a backdrop; it was integral to the narrative.
Let Me Go is recommended for readers who enjoy dark mafia romances with emotionally intense storylines. The book's exploration of power dynamics and the consequences of obsession sets it apart from typical romance novels. Readers should be aware of the content warnings before reading.
My Rating System: 1⭐️: The book didn’t hold my interest and/or had significant issues that overshadowed any redeeming qualities for me, but generally not my cup of tea. Most likely did not finish the book. 2⭐️: The book didn’t quite resonate with me, and while my experience wasn’t remarkable, I did finish it. It had some redeeming qualities and potential but fell short in execution. Recommendable, though with some reservations. 3⭐️: Good read, but didn’t quite stand out. Still worth recommending to others. 4⭐️: Really enjoyed it and stayed engaged throughout. Would read book again. Definitely recommendable. 5⭐️: Incredible writing that made me deeply connect with the characters. I was completely absorbed in the world and didn’t want it to end. This book stayed with me even when I wasn’t reading it. I'd gladly reread it and highly recommend it to everyone!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A great story. Nice flow, interesting plot, great main characters. I found a bit unusual/ intriguing the story in the sense that it focuses a lot on the emotional consequences of certain choices – both to the receiver and the person who does them. It’s not your usual kidnapped/fell in love with and everything-is-right-in-the-world thing this trope usually follows as a pattern, and I liked it.
That being said, I really liked Alessio. He is THE Mafia King. He rules his world with an iron fist. Till El. It all starts when the ambulance El, an EMT doctor, has a shift on, is called to handle a shooting down. Alessio is down, but, even shot, he is very much so in charge. He gives orders, his men obey, El is essentially abducted to escort him to his house where a doctor can patch him up. She is a loose end but from the first sight her sharp wit, competence, rebellious spirit and smart mouth captivate him. So he orders his men to move her in his house and keep her safe there. Their interactions left him falling. Hard. He has no intention of ever letting her go, although at first he justifies his actions by repeating that he keeps her there for her protection. El is also captivating by Alessio. She falls in love with him, but he suffocates her by keeping her a prisoner. She gradually starts loosing herself, her fighting spirit, her very essence. Alessio is desperate. He wants HIS El back! What will he do? Can broken El come back? And under what circumstances? I couldn’t turn the pages quick enough to find out! I also LOVED the “main” secondary characters (Leo and Matteo – especially Leo (swoon!)) and I cross my hands, wishing the authors decided to tell their own stories.
All in all, a very good read. 4 stars.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the story of El and Alessio, he is a crime boss and is used to getting everything he wants and he reacts to the city with an iron fist. Alessio wants El and gets her and takes her prisoner. He hopes that she will put him under pressure and unleash her anger on him because he keeps her prisoner. But things go differently than expected, she slowly fades away, her laugh and smile and she becomes a shadow of herself. Will he get what he wants or should he let her go so that she becomes her own self again? Whether he does or not, you will find out when you read their story yourself, it is very worthwhile.
I received an Advance Reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really, really wanted to like this book, but about 65% through it, I was so bored with the storyline, I did not finish. After the first few chapters, the storyline gets caught on an ENDLESS loop. El is an EMT who helped the mob boss after getting shot. Said mob boss holds her captive in a guilded cage. Then we hit the repeat loop...El's POV...oh, he took me and I'm losing myself...I used to have fire....now what's the point? Alessio's POV...oh what have I done...the fire inside her is dying but I can't let her go. OVER and OVER again, alternating between their POVs, but never advancing the story. It just became very monotonous. DNF, which is too bad because there was such potential. Leo, from what I did read, is a great supporting character, though.
This book had the potential to be a good book. The story line could have been great but the author or authors failed. The writing is so repetitive at times I thought my kindle was getting stuck and I was reading the same page. I read a lot of crime boss books and this MMC was weak and not because he was soft for the FMC but who lets the enemy in willing to kill them just cause he sad not even as a sacrifice but just because he was having a pity party. It took everything to respect the author’s work and not DNF this book.
What Alessio wanted he got even by taking and he wanted El, he expected fiery anger from his captive but all she gave was silence one tjat cut deeper than he ever imagined. He wanted her love her smiles her self, instead he got a shadow, now he has to do his all to get her back even when all she wants is for hin to let her go. Well written steamy engaging, captive romance.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Alessio always got what he wanted and when he captured El he was determined to make her his but when it breaks her down to nothing, he is distraught because El isn't the woman she once was. Will Alessio get back his fierce woman and the chance to have happiness with her.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Love the concept but too much repetition of the same lines, and it effectively killed the story. Please invest in a proofreader, I love investing in books I like and feel cheated especially when I know you have potential.