Corrupted Memories

Made Men of Manhattan #2

by B. Sobjakken

Sebastian and Gianna's story coming soon...

Genres: Second Chance, Forced Proximity, Dark Romance, Mafia Romance, Audiobook, Dark, Second Chance Romance

396 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 14, 2025

Reviews

[Soft Nectarine ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

She’s a 10 but she zip-ties him to the bed & leaves him for 6 YEARS! ✨

Gianna saw her boyfriend kill a man so she tied him to the bed and RAN! Now half a decade later, she still lives in fear he will find her and snatch her up. One kidnapping & blackmail attempt later she is trapped in a relationship contract with Sebastian, the mafia heir that won’t let her go.

I was excited about the premise especially the first chapters when she had this mafia man tied to the bed but…it didn’t deliver. The story was full of unpolished contradictions & flip-floppy characters that had me rolling my eyes 👀 I wish we could have seen some early relationship moments to understand WHY she liked him at all.

Things I don’t understand:
✔️ she is in fearful hiding for OVER A DECADE but than gives in immediately when he finds her again
✔️ Sebastian claiming he would never force her but complete blanking the non con 2 days prior
✔️ the FLIP FLOPPING! Gianna was rational but dumb, high emotions but incredibly patient, fearful but super eager to stand up to him….I really needed her to commit to one emotion & personality
✔️ Sebastian blackmailed her into signing a contract but…SHE NEVER READ IT?! It felt like that was an integral part of the story but we got no details on it (duration? scope?)
✔️ when the mmc is supposedly totally obsessed but can’t say “I love you” after almost 10 years…
✔️mafia plot was too convoluted & difficult to understand (maybe I just forgot half of the characters from the first one)

I know this author can write sublime filthy smutting moments but it was difficult to enjoy this one because I couldn’t take any of the characters seriously.

my favorite smutty moment: when he makes her EX-boyfriend LICK his dirty fingers after…. ✨✨

The second part of the book was a better & and I thought the plot twist was a great ending. I just really wish the characters would commit to their one personality. He can be an a-hole & she can be bonkers crazy!

mafia romance
second chance
posessive mmc
forced proximity
noncon (lite)
body betrayal
breeding kink
🍑🍑
blackmail
HEA


Thank you to B. Sobjakken and her team for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Lawlah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author doesn’t disappoint. Corrupted Memories is such a good read. It has second chance romance, blackmail, an obsessed MMC, forced proximity, and so much more.

Sebastian spent six years looking for Gianna—my guy was completely obsessed. He wanted only Gianna and no one else.

I did have issues with Gianna though. She doesn’t have a single ounce of backbone in her body. Like girl, can’t you stand up for yourself?

I love how the author wrote about Sebastian’s fear of saying “I love you.” I also liked Sebastian’s dad; he’s not the typical made-man father. The way he protects and supports his son was so nice to read.

Gianna’s brother Matt is another favorite. The way he protects his sister was so beautiful.

This book is a 4.5 star read and I highly recommend it.

Thanks to the author for this beautiful book and for sharing the ARC with me.

[emsreviewsandrecs · Rating 5 out of 5]

That endinggggg… what?!?!

I have been waiting for Corrupted Memories ever since I read Bartered Innocence. Sebastian had piqued my interest, and I needed to know more about him; this book delivers exactly that. This story had me in a chokehold and it also had me swooning! The plot, the spice, and the characters were just *chef's kiss*. B Sobjakken definitely has me obsessed with everything they write!

Gianna disappeared six years ago after witnessing something she shouldn’t have. Sebastian has been scouring the earth for her ever since. Time has run out for Gianna and Sebastian has found her. With an ultimatum from Sebastian and reassurance from her brother, she decides to give in to Sebastian. But when truths, lies, and secrets all come to head, will she be able to handle it all?

Gianna went through it over the years, constantly hiding and looking over her shoulder but also going to war with herself over her love for Sebastian. She cares so deeply and she can’t hide the love she feels. Girllll, I couldn’t either. Sebastian is so fineeee. His need to find Gianna, his possessiveness, and his obsession… YES! But he was one stubborn man whom I did want to knock some sense into. I loved both of them so much and now I’m so sad it’s over.

Now that this story is over, I need the next one. The book ended and left me needing to know what the heck is going to happen next!!!

[Sim-fully Ever After · Rating 4 out of 5]

4🌟, 3.5🌶️

Second chances, blackmail, and mafia obsession—Corrupted Memories is pure madness.

Sebastian James, the mafia heir, spends six years hunting Gianna down, and when he finally finds her, he doesn’t plead—he forces her back into his world with a contract. It’s feral, unhinged, and dangerously romantic in the most addictive way.

Their relationship is pure wildfire—resentment, longing, fear, desire—all colliding until you can’t tell where one ends and the other begins. Sebastian is obsessive and broken but heartbreakingly devoted, while Gianna wrestles with self‑preservation and surrender. The tension is magnetic, the chemistry explosive, and every scene feels like it could tip into destruction or redemption.

The side characters bring heart and depth—Sebastian’s father is protective in a way you don’t expect from a mafia patriarch, and Gianna’s brother Matt is the kind of sibling who pushes her toward love even when it’s messy.

With betrayal, family ties, and mafia politics woven through, this book is dark, addictive, and achingly tender.

~~~~

Many thanks to B. Sobjakken and The Smuthood for providing this Advanced Reader Copy. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. ✨

[Melanie (mells_view) · Rating 4 out of 5]

”I hate you so much that I don’t hate you at all,”

Corrupted Memories is book two in the Made Men of Manhattan series and dare I say it was super sweet? It’s a B. Sobjakken mafia romance, so yes there is some boundary pushing, some violence, and of course some breeding (good times, do support), but Sebastian and Gianna were actually a super sweet second chance romance once the chase kind of culminates in the catch.

Gianna sees Sebastian do something that quite frankly terrifies her and makes her question everything she thought she knew about him. So she runs. The thing is when you run from a man like Sebastian, he chases. And chase he did. I enjoyed that this man never gave up on finding her. Yes, he’s a little unhinged about her, but I mean it’s a book and it’s a green flag for me. Am I colorblind, no, but for the sake of this review, still no. Sebastian does some things to force Gianna back into his life, but the forcing is barely necessary.

I’m going to liken these two to magnets. They just connect and belong side by side. I love that B. Sobjakken has created this mafia world because it really is so easy to love each of the mafia groups/families. In CM she definitely weaves in moments with each of the core groups and most of the moments had me cracking up and kicking my feet at the way these men interact. The way they are all mostly down bad for the women they love, but when they get together they are at each other’s throat and have the wildest banter. There’s one scene in this book that I know will have everyone losing it at how natural it feels between all of them. The small teases at what will potentially come next have me so excited.

ANYWHO. Before I accidentally spoil the whole book gushing about these characters and this world I’ll end by saying if you enjoy mafia romance that’s a little taboo and gives off the classic mafia romance vibes, then Corrupted Memories and the other books in the Made Men of Manhattan series are perfect. I was also lucky enough to get an ALC of Corrupted Memories and the voice actors truly knocked it out of the park. It’s duet, but they also were so good when they would start doing the side characters. Giving them their own unique voice and really selling this story with each character.

AVAILABLE NOW!
*ARC/ALC

[Jessie ツ · Rating 5 out of 5]

He literally just wants to be with her. That’s the story & I love it !!🖤🖤🖤🖤

4.5⭐️
4🌶️

When you see ur college bf murder someone ~mafia style~ so u tie him to the bed and run away out of fear. Naturally he then tracks u down for 6 years not stopping until he forces u to be in a relationship with him. ❤️‍🔥

Obviously, Gianna wasn’t aware of Sebastian being in the mafia & once she does she’s, rightfully, terrified of him/the lifestyle.

Gianna struggles with her love for Sebastian vs her fear of his dangerous lifestyle. My man Sebastian just wants Gianna back. And before you even wonder, yes, this man has been celibate for the past 6 years. Never desired another woman.🥰🥰🥰🥰🖤

—THOUGHTS—
Loved it! I flew through it & loved Sebastian’s longing so so much. Mwah. 💋🖤

It was a fun read, especially since second chance books can be dicey sometimes.

Also I love me some breeding kink.🍽️🤰😈

Also, I saw lots of ppl mention Sebastian’s not wanting to say “I love you” to Gianna. Personally didn’t bother me bc the reason was:

”When I was a boy, my grandmum warned that when James men fall in love, there will never be another. And unfortunately, those women were always struck with tragedy. I’m not superstitious, but it happened to my father. I refuse to believe I love Gianna. She’s safer that way.”

He KNOWS deep down & it’s SO CLEAR from his actions and even words that he loves her. He’s just scared to say those specific words bc he thinks it’s like a bad omen. He loves her too much to even superstitiously put her at harm. 🖤

—TROPES—
-mafia
-forced relationship
-second chance
-stalking (minor)
-mutually in love
-ott j/p MMC
-breeding kink

—SAFETY—
TLDR: Safe! MCs celibate during separation.
-6 yr separation after prologue
•H chasing h down entire time
•H celibate during separation
•h celibate during separation
╰┈➤she did have bf; nothing more than making out
-No cheating
-No OWD
-OMD: h has bf @ present day. H forces her to breakup.
-HEA

[Anna Nenna]

Duet style narration 5/5🎧
Story= /5 ⭐️ not sure (I liked the first one in this series!) was expecting more chemistry- more details about how their sexual and romantic relationship started and developed… we were only given some scene in their college days, when “something” happens and she leaves him. FFwd 6 years later she has a boyfriend of 2 years but they are only heavily making out, while MMC implies he was not celibate when they reunite after 6 years (I had to check what he said to FMC, that made me think ew no, and it was this: “and to think I almost skipped tonight I didn’t want to turn down an easy p**sy” - in regards to his date which turns out to be FMC’s boyfriend’s PA) also later in chapter 6, when FMC is giving him bj he thinks that if it was another woman the pleasure wouldn’t have felt the same☹️ so I don’t know for sure if these are only thoughts and he was in fact celibate but I was not vibing with it so I tapped out for now…

[Jody Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Corrupted Memories is book two in the Made Men of Manhattan series. Gianna has been hiding from her college boyfriend Sebastian for six years, he finally tracks her down, and puts her in a complicated relationship contract to try to win a second chance. It is rich on lore and mafia organization, building on the complicated universe Sobjakken created in Bartered Innocence.

Here's the thing though, book one was fun to read. It was mafia, and people got up to Bad Mafia Business, but the couple who were forced into an arranged marriage were crazy for each other physically and that grew into a mutual emotional bond, and the FMC had a found family in her new home. This book was quite a bit darker, and the MMC had so little respect for the FMC it was a slog, even while the story was interesting.

I'm comparing this to other mafia or dark romance books in my criticism. I'm not looking for a feminist manifesto here, or soft men who cuddle and treasure. But give us something. Give us "he sleeps better than in years." Give us "unfamiliar feeling of being wanted/appreciated/needed for him." Literally all we get from him are words like "disdain" and "sneer" and "cruel" and "contemptuous" with regard to the heroine. Between his refusal to explain or even entertain discussion around withholding the one thing she said she needed from him, and his belittlement of that need, I just didn't get it. There's a marker laid down in the first chapter about how she needs to hear how he feels, and it's a (tedious) runner throughout. "'I would have thought you'd grown out of this nonsense. They're just words, Gianna. Silly little words.' 'Then say them. If they don't matter to you, but they matter to me, say them.'" This whole exchange just made me sad for them. So much contempt for her by him, and such a fixation on exact language by her. Meanwhile he tells her in other ways, and if your love language is stalking for six years and being off the chains possessive, then he's showing it plenty. It just felt like their dynamic never evolved from horny teens/very early 20s who thought they invented slightly taboo bedplay and got stuck in emotional and relational stasis. Oh and that marker? even in the epilogue after two years and marriage, he doesn't say it, which did surprise me as a authorial choice (and not necessarily in a bad way, it just seemed like the obvious button on their arc). So much for her repeated insistence that she would never marry or have children in a "loveless" marriage.

This book has a weird purity culture thing where she hasn't been with anyone since him (and he was of course her first) but he's had a ton of women, including her boyfriend's assistant, his date to the party where they reunite. This is her boyfriend of TWO YEARS, who stays at her apartment for days on end and sleeps in her bed and who has shopped for a ring. "He's never stepped over the line, nor has he pressured me for more than a heavy makeout session." I get that we need him to exist to be a) leverage and b) an audience later but this was low-key gross that she stayed pure for Sebastian while he had no such limitations. In fact his opening line to her after six years is referencing current relations with another woman. I don't mind at all the romantic histories or exploits MCs get up to when they aren't with the other MC, but I don't love how he's on page doing whatever a LOT, and she "can't bear another's touch" because she's hung up on him. Yet has a boyfriend of two years. And he also expects that no one else would have touched her. In six years.

There's a lot of stuff that Sobjakken does cover in her CWs, or are normed in the genre, but still were enough to make me throw up my hands, or at least roll my eyes. He tampers with her birth control, which at the time she appropriately says "It matters because it's my choice. Not yours." Of course when another character reminds her of this she's more like "So he's not perfect." She is presented with an elaborate relationship contract which she doesn't read before she signs. She's not on birth control while being in a (currently chaste, of course) relationship or knowing she's going into a non-chaste one with Sebastian. She turns off her phone when she's in danger, and ignores urgent messages. And he literally never keeps his word to her. He promises not to mess with the career of another character if she acquiesces to him, and when she does he has the character fired. He says she decides when they become intimate again (although this is after she says no but he SA's her anyway, and later coerces her into another encounter) but then instigates intimacy less than 24 hours later. Don't worry, she has PePe le Pew levels of body betrayal to imply consent, her lips may say non but her body says oui.

I can feel the story Sobjakken is telling. There's some lovely stuff with how shrunk down her existence is hiding from him. "He makes my life seem so insignificant, but he's the reason it's like that to begin with." There's seeing past labels and actions to the person underneath, and the bonds of family, both blood and made. But I feel like she didn't quite get there in the execution. I don't mind reading dark or mafia, but I want to see that there is something beyond the dynamic they set when they were teens that never grew as adults, and some bond besides obsessive possession.

CW for an extended and extremely graphic torture scene. (It's in the author CWs, but it's also SO much more than I would have wanted to read). Thank you to the author for an arc.

[Diana~ (Kiss Me Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

B. Sobjakken returns with Corrupted Memories, the second book in the Made Men of Manhattan series, featuring Sebastian and Gianna. Sebastian was one of the side characters in Rian and Isabelle's story, and he was somewhat of a morally gray character who I thought was interesting. In this latest installment, readers are able to explore his intense obsession for the woman he was never able to forget. I enjoyed Sebastian and Gianna's relationship because it was full of animosity, uncertainty, longing, and tension. We're given a few glimpses of their past together, which were all really sweet and romantic, until she ran away from him that one night and never came back. Since then, he did everything he could to find and chase her. It's clear that Sebastian and Gianna had some deep communication issues. I was frustrated with their dramatics because she should have communicated with him instead of making assumptions, while he was deluding himself into thinking that he was never in love with her.

“Gianna is my obsession. I can’t get her out of my mind. They aren’t healthy or loving thoughts. My body physically burns for her. It craves her to survive, but I know it isn’t love. I don’t know what it is, but it’s not that.”

In the end, I enjoyed this one and was satisfied with Sebastian and Gianna's relationship. The story did get a bit repetitive in the later half since Gianna kept asking Sebastian to confirm his feelings for her. He never told Gianna that he loved her, which played a central role in her insecurities and was one of the reasons why she ran away from him. The whole Jeremy situation was awkward and weird, so I wasn't a fan of it. At least their love scenes were incredibly spicy. I did wish there was more to their relationship since it felt more physical than emotional at times. They entered in a “relationship contract,” but Sebastian was unwilling to let Gianna go so the threats were unnecessary. The situation between the Irish and Italians are ramping up. It also looks like we might be getting books for Luca as well as Gio and Matt who are Gianna’s brothers. Fans of mafia romance and dark romance will certainly enjoy this book—especially if you like heroes who are possessive and obsessive with their heroines.

*This ARC was generously provided by the author for an honest review*

[Elsa Reyna · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Corrupted Memories B. Sobjakken

I’m still reeling from this one. Corrupted Memories is the kind of dark, emotional rollercoaster that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go until the very last page.

From the very first line — “Six years ago, I left the love of my life tied to the bed…” — I knew I was in for something wild. And oh, it did not disappoint. This story is passion, pain, and redemption all tangled together in the most intoxicating way.

Sebastian James is the kind of antihero who gets under your skin — obsessive, dangerous, and heartbreakingly devoted. Every moment with him had me torn between swooning and screaming. And the heroine? She’s fierce and vulnerable in equal measure, carrying the weight of her choices and the ache of unfinished love. Watching her fight between self-preservation and surrender was gut-wrenching.

Their chemistry is explosive. Every scene between them crackles with tension and longing — the kind of connection that feels both forbidden and inevitable. And underneath the spice and danger, there’s so much emotion. You feel their history, their heartbreak, their hope for something that might destroy them both.

B. Sobjakken delivers a perfect blend of darkness and tenderness, obsession and forgiveness. The writing is sharp, cinematic, and full of emotion that lingers long after “The End.”

This isn’t just a second-chance romance — it’s a story about love that refuses to die, no matter how much blood, time, or pain it costs.

I closed the book absolutely wrecked… but also completely satisfied.

🔥 Mafia Romance
💔 Second Chance
🖤 Obsessive Love
💋 Emotional, Raw, and Unforgettable

If you’re a fan of dark, dangerous, and devastatingly beautiful love stories — Corrupted Memories will steal your heart and refuse to give it back.

[Christie Wilcox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Corrupted Memories by B. Sobjakken

ALC Review

🖤dark romance
🦴second chance
🖤mafia

MMC - Sebastian ~ Aaron Shedlock
FMC - Gianna ~ Samantha Cook

LOVE Aaron! He always brings the male POV to life. His talent is truly amazing. I will always listen to what he narrates. Samantha was great for the female.

Corrupted Memories is book two in the Made Men of Manhattan series. Gianna sees Sebastian do something that terrifies her. She begins to question everything/anything she knows about him. This causes her to run. The thing is when you run from a man like Sebastian, he follows. Sebastian blackmails Gianna into coming back to him, even making her sign a relationship contract. I think they both might have been celibate during their separation. Gianna’s reasons for hiding hit harder once everything comes to light. I seriously couldn’t stand the female in this story. She was seriously SO whiny and basically miserable. She fought through everything and was always complaining about the same things over and over. While it’s okay for a while, I don't care to hear it through the ENTIRE story. She was only quiet when he was making her shut up 🤐 🫣 her inter monologue was always the same. If she had that much problem with everything then she shouldn’t have gone with him or stayed. She couldn’t even use the skills that her brother taught her to get away. Gianna’s brother’s involvement was twisted & layers of betrayal. The mafia ties run super deep.

[Lindsey · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 10%. She cheats on her current boyfriend with a guy she’s been running from for years. He shows up and she just hands herself over in a bathroom. I know her current boyfriend isn’t the main love interest for this book but cheating is a hard no for me. Leave him first.

[shanelle maree]

I have to dnf this.

I’m completely lost, and the confusion is real. 😵‍💫

This felt like it was missing key puzzle pieces that I needed in order to connect and invest in what was happening, and I definitely needed more of Gianna and Sebastian’s backstory to understand how they got together, fell in love, then ultimately how they ended, etc.. plus this man is supposedly obsessed with her and they were together for like 3 years or something like that and he couldn’t tell her he loved her? HUH?? Then when they’re separated for 10 years, he didn’t stay celibate but he’s obsessed and stalked her?

Yeah, it just doesn’t make sense. 🥴

I love Brooke’s books, so I will continue to pick up her other books and anything new from her, but this one… was not for me. 🫩

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to The Smuthood and B. Sobjakken for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review. This is a mafia vibes, second chance romance. Gianna is our FMC who is forced into a relationship with her ex after leaving him behind years ago. Sebastian is the obsessive MMC who never forgot Gianna and the type of man I’d want in my life. If it says anything about how much I enjoyed this book, I received it yesterday and finished it today. I won’t give too much away so as not to spoil anything but I definitely look forward to reading more from this author!!

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where is the 6 star button??

PLEASE, if you take anything from this review, GET THE AUDIOBOOK! Aarron Shedlock and Samantha Cook did a fantastic job! This is book 2 of the Made Men of Manhattan series. Book 1 was super good but this one blew it out of the water. Gianna started seeing Sebastian in college but after walking in on something she shouldn’t have, she left him and moved on with her life. She had been with Jeremy for 2 years until Sebastian came back into her life. Sebastian and Gianna have the best sexual chemistry but that seemed to be about it. Sebastian hides a lot from her and refuses to tell her how he feels about her. Clearly this man is one who shows his love instead of says it, there are reasons. I loved that even though they were apart for 2 years and Gianna was seeing someone else, they never slept with anyone else. I don’t know why that does something to me, but it does. The deeper into the story you get the more things get dug up about her life and she starts to realize nothing is as it seems. Ahhhhh this book was so freaking good!!! If you aren’t normally a mafia reader, like me, you will 100% still enjoy this audiobook.


Favorite Quotes:

“I don’t just want kids, Gianna. I want you. Without you there is no me”

“If it comes down to me or you, I will always choose to save you.”

Gianna- “I hate you so much that I don’t hate you at all”
Sebastian- “I know”

“You’re going to take my name. I’m going to fill this belly with my children. No other man is ever going to touch you again.”

[Amber Leach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Corrupted Memories is part of the Made Men of Manhattan series; this particular one revolves around Sebastian and Gianna.
Gianna fled from Sebastian many years earlier after seeing him kill a man. Sebastian has obsessively searched for Gianna for 6 years and will stop at nothing to bring her back even if that means blackmailing his way back into her life.
What I really enjoyed was the twists that made for a very interesting read. With these twists you come to understand why Sebastian made some of the decisions he did and you understand him better.
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would having not read the 1st book in the series. To be clear, while I think it is helpful to have read the first book just to get some basic background information, it definitely doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy book 2 all on its own if you haven’t.
Overall I give it a solid 4. I didn’t get bored reading it, it was easy to follow and the smut was written well. The ending sets us up for another story within this series so there is that to look forward to as well.

[NaysBookNook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 2 in the Made Men of Manhattan series.

Gianna NEVER stood a chance tbh. What Sebastian wants Sebastian gets, and he really wanted Gianna. From the start Sebastian was obsessed, he didn’t understand it himself other than needing to be around her and with her.

When she ran from him, he never stopped looking. He looked and looked until she was finally back, he blackmails her (how cute of course) until she comes back.

Sebastian is reserved, calculating, and determined to get what he wants.

Gianna is determined to fall out of love and move on from Sebastian, especially after what she witnessed. She’s also delulu to think Sebastian forgot about her after how intense he was when they were together. I did like the Gianna made Sebastian realized that he wanted her because he loved her and not just because he’s an obsessive psycho ( in the best way)

The ending left if open IMO for for a second part to their story ? Either way I’m excited to see where this series is going and cannot wait.

[Carolina Brady · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went back and forth on liking this book and feeling like it was dragging. It was a serious battle to not DNF.

Sebastian (MMC) was what kept me reading, it was his relationship with Luca and Rion that I was attached to lol. I feel like the whole book he was holding on to why he couldn’t say those 3 little words and when he finally is able to talk about it, it fell short. Not the details of it but he didn’t fight back. He didn’t tell her about the “curse”. You mean to tell me he went almost a decade believing he couldn’t say/feel love and when he tells her why he just shrugged and said ok? Nico was probably my fav character!

Gianna (FMC), love/hate relationship with her. At the beginning of the book, I thought she was such a badass (how she leaves him in her room) but then she quickly was scared of everything and super whinny. I didn’t get her obsession with “I love you” when the man would literally burn the world for her! I also didn’t like how quickly her resolve broke. I get having loved him and falling back into their relationship but homegirl folded with one word. She made herself easy and then would scold herself after they had sex. It was very tiring. I feel like she was the victim the whole book and never grew out of that.

I received an ALC. Maybe the audio played a part in the book feeling like it was dragging. The male narrator would give the MMC an accent and then at times there would be no accent at all. He would also say different words in certain points. I listened to the book in 1.3x and even then, there were points when it was switching between the male and female narrator where there was an awkward extended pause that would just kill the scene you were in the middle of. Readers love Duet narration but not if it gets in the way of the story.

Overall, I think there was so much potential in the overall story but it fell short for me…

[Kate V · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 They Probably Should Have Communicated Stars!

Gianna saw something she shouldn’t have and ran from Sebastian. He’s been looking for her for a long time and finally has her in his grasp. He’s not letting her go this time. Obviously 😍🥵.

A lot of misunderstandings, plenty of yummy spice, a hero that’s a bit emotionally constipated and a heroine that could have used a thicker backbone.

I did like the first book in this series a bit more than this one but that’s only because second chance romances (in my opinion) are hard to write. Gianna and Sebastian’s love story had a lot going on and not in a bad way. Corrupted Memories is such a fitting name for their romance. I enjoyed the transformation of Sebastian and the naive yet endearing personality of Gianna. The plot was rich with intrigue and action and the HEA was beautiful.

ARC provided for an honest review.

[April (thatbrunettebookworm) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now I loved the first book in this series Rian and Isabella’s story was amazing! But, holy heck B. Sobjakken really blew me away with this book! Sebastian is H O T hot!! And Gianna does not make getting her back easy!! He looks for her for six years before he finally finds her. If that isn’t hot I don’t know what is. 😂

Second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes because I love when the man grovels to get her back. But add in Mafia romance and well I can’t resist. Now Sebastian didn’t grovel as much as I would like. More like he knew what he wanted and he took it!! He definitely cared for what Gianna wanted but he also didn’t at the same time, if that makes sense. It was hot trust me.

Oh but does the plot thicken and even though it’s the HEA for Sebastian and Gianna there was a cliffhanger for the overall plot and I can’t wait for the next book and who the main characters are going to be. I have an idea but I’m not 100% sure.

But if you like mafia romance definitely give this book and the first one a try. I feel they are best read in order so start with Bartered Innocence!!

[❁ lilyreadsromance ❁ · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was not as satisfying as the first book. The whole I-can't-say-ILY drama was kinda meh. The tragic story was not though, don't misunderstand that part. I just can't stand our female lead in this one. I don't think I like her at all.

[ashlee ❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gianna + Sebastian

-mafia romance
-second chance
-relationship contract
-blackmail/forced proximity
-breeding kink

oohhhhwwweee lets talk about an obsessive possessive boy yeahhh?? this was sooo good & he was honestly so perfect too!! the spice was super classy as well might i say!!

[Amber (Amber Reads Romance) · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐⭐.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Corrupted Memories is the 2nd book in the Made Men of Manhattan series. Unfortunately, I really struggled to finish this one and almost DNF'D it a few times. The first book was ok, but I rated it higher than it probably deserved because it was this author's first full length book. This time I had to be more real with my review and admit this is not up to my expectations when it comes to mafia romance. I read a lot of mafia romances, and this just does not measure up. The mafia plot is disjointed and felt unclear. I don't think this author has built a believable and understandable mafia world. It felt a little chaotic. I have read much more well-developed mafia books.

Gianna had witnessed her boyfriend kill someone and decided to run from him by leaving him tied to a bed. Six years later, Sebastian has found her and forces her into a marriage using a contract. She caves immediately even though she has boyfriend. They jump into a relationship, but this woman could not make up her mind and even strung her boyfriend along. She also kept going on and on about Sebastian not saying, "I love you." It was a lot of repetitive sex scenes followed by her flip flopping on how she felt.

I immediately forgot most of what I read, and nothing really kept my interest. I would forgive the weak mafia world building if the romance was good, but this one was seriously lacking. I will not be continuing this series, but I do enjoy this author's novellas.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

🎤Duet narration by Aaron Shedlock & Samantha Cook

Another reason I had to give this a lower rating was the narration by Aaron Shedlock. I was confused when he switched up his narration and all of a sudden had an accent. He also went back and forth with the accent throughout the audiobook. Samantha Cook did a good job with her parts.


Thank you to the Must Love Audio for providing the ALC.

[Gladymar · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC review!

What a great book! Sebastian’s obsession was extremely passionate. Even when he didn’t told Gianna he loved her, every action screamed love. Gianna was a little naive but it’s totally understandable because that was how she was raised and treated by her brother. He did everything to protect her, but Sebastian, HOLY MOTHER! He really did everything and more.
Loved that this book doesn’t have a third act breakup, (kind of) she just needed time and he gave it to her but they were still together.
The relationship between Sebastian, Rian and Luca was so funny! Sebastian really has his way with everyone.
Anyway, a good second chance (a little forced by the MMC iykwim) and (for me) it was a light mafia book.

[Sammy K · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ve debated how to review this one for a couple of days… I love mafia and all the issues that go along with the MMCs in them. But this wasn’t for me. Sebastian (MMC) was entertaining at times with some of his crazy. Gianna (FMC) was wishy washy and her internal waffling made her unlikable to me. Breeding was listed in the content items but that’s 50% of story line: Sebastian wanting to knock Gianna up and Gianna waffling between not wanting it and being unsure if she wanted it.

****Spoilies!****

Sebastian had an issue with something and it was a focal point for 97% of the book. All of sudden, it’s no longer an issue. It was rather abrupt for how big of a story line it was.

Gianna wasn’t strong, in my opinion. She was allegedly so afraid of Sebastian. She spent years hiding from him and but all it took was one word from him and she’s cheating on her boyfriend in a bathroom.

[Shelby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me preface my review by saying I listened to this on audio. I felt like there were a lot of characters to keep track of between the different Mafia families and it got a little confusing. I’ve since downloaded the ebook and see at the beginning there is a family tree that is very helpful!

Gianna started off very strong and independent but it felt like some of that faded after she quickly went back to Sebastian. Although he did blackmail her, ultimately her strong feelings for him outweighed everything and she went back to him pretty willingly. After, her character was very emotional. She went from crying often to then being mad and then they’d be banging within seconds. The physical pull between these two was strong but it almost seemed like getting physical was there answer for things.

Sebastian was controlling and manipulating as all mafia guys typically are but I think it could have been more intense. It takes a bit to really learn about and understand his character and I wanted more. There were a lot of trust issues between Gianna and Sebastian stemming from all the lies, her running away, and really them not truly knowing each other’s lives. It felt like the main conflict of the book was him not telling her, “I Love You” which was meh. Especially since he clearly showed it but she couldn’t get past it and needed the verbal reassurance to calm her insecurities.

As for the audio production, the male narrator wasn’t great. It’s like he would remember Sebastian was English and start talking with an accent but not keep it. It was really inconsistent. Gianna’s narrator did a great job and this was a duet production which I always love!

[Lauren (lololovesthings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.

Woooooooooooooooow, this book is SPICY, y'all! "Corrupted Memories" is the first book by B. Sobjakken that I have read, though I have heard of her many times in the past. Her website says she writes "novellas that push the socially acceptable norm," and that's exactly what I would say about this second-chance mafia romance with an uber-possessive MMC. I don't think everyone will enjoy this dark romance, but I sure did! It's equal parts pain and pleasure. It is cutting and slightly deranged, but the chemistry between Gianna, the FMC, and Sebastian, the MMC, is undeniable. He is SO obsessed with her to the point of being possessive. In real life? Ick! In fiction? Sure, why not? He talks so filthily, and she just walks right back into his web because she loves it so much. The push and pull between them repeats a lot during the book, but Gianna almost always gives in to the temptation of Sebastian. It's so toxic, and it would only ever work in a romance novel; otherwise, you'd call the cops! Lol. The mafia storyline definitely takes center stage in the latter half of the book over the romance. It's suspenseful, engaging, and definitely made my jaw drop on more than one occasion. Since this is a novella, it doesn't overstay its welcome too terribly much, though the br33ding stuff got to be a bit much (but that's my personal preference...some people may love this aspect of it). All in all, this won't be the last B. Sobjakken novel I read.

Thank you to B. Sobjakken and The Smuthood for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

[Baby Got Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

***If you care I have been spending way more of my reading and reviewing time over on Pagebound.co. It’s just such a better space to actually interact about the books you are reading. I’ll review here at least stars wise because I know the authors really need it but I think GR is dying out. Pagebound is way more fun and interesting for readers. Yes there’s an app. No this is not an ad. No ai either.****

Well that was disappointing. I love this author and loved the first book in this series but I found this entry weak in character and story.

Too much mafia not enough romance balance.

Characters were very inconsistent especially Gianna.

Sebastian had more interesting and fleshed out relationships with the mafia men especially Nico and Luca than Gianna.

All the most interesting parts of the romance were off page and in the past…fucked at a party in front of the football team anyone??

Whereas the previous book expertly straddled the line of dub-con between the characters this one really missed it. A lot of their intimate scenes moved very solidly into non-con for no real purpose. I thought we were done with the aggressive excuse of FMC saying no, stop but then using body betrayal syndrome to give them a pass afterwards.

Besides Sebastian breaking up with Gianna’s ex Jeremy by fucking her directly in front of him then making Jeremy lick the combined cum of Sebastian’s fingers (which was a diabolical scene honestly) there was no reason for dragging out the ex boyfriend plot that added little to the story overall.

Again I love this author and I loved the previous story in this series so I will be reading the next book. From the hints in this story the couple I think it will be about have amazing promise.

This unfortunately is a miss for me.

[Anna Bacon · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC/ALC Review: first off, I want to thank the author for the early copy of this book/audio! To be fully transparent, this book was just fine to me. I thought the storyline was done well and I thought the descriptions of the physical chemistry with our MCs was good. I love how possessive and protective Sebastian is with Gianna as well as their spice scenes.

However, I wasn’t a fan of the contradictions that Gianna seems to have throughout the whole book. She constantly mentions how it’s problematic that Sebastian doesn’t tell her he loves her and, while I agree with wanting to hear that, she then will go on to list things that he does to show her his love. She seems to almost have an epiphany that he truly does love her and seems to think it’s enough. Then not much time later it seems like she forgets all about that and gets hung up on the words. This happens a few times and it was just a bit frustrating.

As for the audio, I thought Samantha Cook did a great job with portraying Gianna and capturing different emotions in her reading of the lines. As for Aaron Shedlock, while his voice is what I picture when thinking of Sebastian and I am generally a big fan of his, the accent seemed to come out of nowhere after the first few chapters in and it threw me off a bit. Also, for just a technical standpoint, there were some times where there was just random silence in between sets of dialogue. I preferred reading this book over the audio overall.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ ARC REVIEW - Corrupted Memories by B. Sobjakken ✨ Book Two - Made Men of Manhattan series

4.5 ⭐️ | 4 🌶️ | 🎧 duet narration by Samantha Cook and Aaron Shedlock

🖤 mafia romance
🦋 forced proximity
🖤 br33ding
🦋 second chance
🖤 relationship contract

The Made Men of Manhattan series continues with another amazing read!! I was so intrigued by Sebastian when we met him in book 1, his presence was so mysterious and I couldn’t wait to read his story. Turns out, he’s searching for the love of his life, Gianna, who ran from him years before. And when he finds her… let’s just say there’s no way he’s letting her go again. 😏 This book was filled with everything I love in a mafia romance - suspense, plot twists, and ALL the spice (Brooke’s MMCs and their filthy mouths have never let me down 🥵). I loved every second of it!!

Additionally - while I was finishing the ARC, I also found the audiobook on Hoopla and decided to treat myself to a lil immersive read for the second half of the book. Best. Decision. Ever. Samantha Cook and Aaron Shedlock were the perfect choices for Gianna and Sebastian, they knocked it out of the park! Aaron had so many accents to do for so many side characters, and they were FLAWLESS. I can’t wait for the series to continue!!!

Thank you SO much Brooklynne for the ARC 🖤 I’ve never read a book of yours that I didn’t love!!!