Choosing Rachel: A Second Chance Mafia Romance

by M.B. Smith

Second Edition This edition of Choosing Rachel has been revised to remove all sexually explicit content and strong profanity. While the storyline remains the same as the original edition, new scenes have been added in place of the intimate content.



Rachel

The right person at the wrong time is still the wrong person.

But that was years ago, and now he’s back.

My daughter’s father is moving back to the city we met all those years ago, and he’s also moving in.

With me.

I let him in once, gave him all I had, and believed everything would work out, only to walk away broken and scarred.

So, I swore that I would never let Ryder Bates near my heart again.



Ryder

Four years ago, I met the woman who changed everything for me.

Three years ago, I watched her walk away.

With my position in the Moreno Mafia family on the line, I’ve been sent back to Sacramento to prove my loyalty and worth.

But that also sent me back to her.

She thought she had escaped me when she walked away. She thought I’d accepted our co-parenting arrangement. She thought there was nothing more between us than our daughter.

She’s about to find out just how wrong she is.



Choosing Rachel is an American Mafia, second-chance romance. It is book two in the Love and Blood series, but can be read as a standalone, though it contains spoilers from previous books.

This book features torture, verbal threats of sexual assault, and mild language that may be triggering or offensive to some readers. Recommended for 18+.

Genres: Second Chance, Mafia Romance

340 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 25, 2025

Reviews

[Lawlah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story with second chances, accidental pregnancy, forced proximity, and mafia romance (though it felt more like military romance at times). There were moments of miscommunication where I found myself thinking, “Just talk to each other and say ‘I love you,’” but overall, it was an engaging read.

Ryder’s character is so well done, and the internal dilemma he faces between choosing Rachael and Lyla or his mafia family was portrayed so effectively. You really feel the weight of his choices.

Rachael’s loss of faith in Ryder was completely valid and was written with depth and emotion.

The twist? I didn’t see it coming at all, and when it hit, I was genuinely shocked.

I definitely heard more military terms in this book than mafia-related ones, which threw me off a little, but still, it kept me hooked.

This is a 4-star read, and BookTok didn’t miss with this one.

[E.L. Irwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a dark romance and not clean. More fade to black than closed door, but wow, I think I liked this one better than the first one. Holy smokes.

[Nic Sosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rachel and Ryder
A little more romance wouldnt hurt

[Gracious reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I accidentally read this whole book. I was actually reading another series and just downloaded this one to read in the future. I only meant to skim a few pages, but I just kept reading and before I knew it I was already halfway through, so I ended up finishing it in one day. I really enjoyed it. I liked the characters, the storyline and the plot, and it was one of those books that you just can’t put down. It was a bit confusing at times though. I feel like it might be connected to another book because there were things, especially the kidnapping, that we were told about but never really saw or got much information on. It felt like I was missing some plot points, but I still understood the story and had a really good time reading it. Overall, I thought it was really good and would give it 4/5 stars

[Lunavera Casen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Choosing Rachel completely swept me away. Rachel and Ryder’s second-chance love story is raw, passionate, and full of emotional depth. I loved how their history made every interaction so charged you could feel the hurt, the longing, and the pull between them. The mafia backdrop added danger and intensity without overshadowing the romance, and the co-parenting angle made it even more heartfelt. M.B. Smith’s writing is captivating, with just the right balance of heat, drama, and tenderness. By the time I turned the last page, I was both satisfied and craving more. An emotional, addictive read I couldn’t put down.

[Ansley Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first ever venture into Mafia romance. I've always stayed far away from that genre because it was always too smutty for my taste but I'm so happy I stumbled upon M. B. Smith on tiktok! This book had me laughing and crying and the ending was completely unexpected. Her dual POV and the jumping in timelines was executed perfectly and it was by far my favorite read of 2025! can't wait to read her other books.

[Chezney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have no words because this book was amazing!!

[Claire Shelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one too! Second chance romance, mafia, completely closed door. Really recommend this author!

[Lyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25