Bitter Poetry

by L.V. Lane

Trapped in a loveless marriage to a ruthless mafia don, I find solace in the forbidden.

Dante, the man I should have married. He still wants me.

Christian, my bodyguard, the man my husband uses to ensure my life unfolds to his exacting standards. He despises me.

They’re brothers, separated by circumstances and my husband's ruthless power plays.

They claim they want to liberate me. Can I trust them? Or am I just a pawn in the games of made men, collateral in their quest for revenge?

They’re willing to go to any length to get me.

I might not survive if they fail.

The bitter truth: My heart might not survive if they do.


Tropes: MFM, why choose, arranged marriage;, second chance , escaping a bad relationship, Forbidden love, age-gap with one MMC, slow burn, spice, antagonists you will love to hate.

Content advice: Parent Death (off screen), violence, blood, torture, assault/SA/rape *not by MMCs, arranged/forced marriage *not to MMCs, kidnap, dubious consent, non-consent, somnophilia, drugging, breath play, edging/ orgasm denial, forced orgasm, breeding kink, angry/ hate sex, birth control tampering.
​
Standalone​​​

Genres: Dark Romance, Why Choose, Dark, Marriage Of Convenience, Second Chance, M F M, Menage

556 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 1, 2025

About the author

In a secret garden hidden behind a wall of shrubs and trees amid a tiny English village, you'll find L.V. Lane's writing den, where she crafts spicy adventures...Magical and mythical creatures, wolf shifters, and alphas of every flavor give our sweet, sometimes willful omegas and heroines a guaranteed HEA.
If you like my books, you might also like my contemporary pen name, Verity Arden!

Content Advice can be found on my author website below and usually against the book description and or author review on Goodreads.

Where to find me:
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For Free short stories see my website under Books|FREE READS

Reviews

[Chiara^•^ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bitter Poetry by L.V Lane
4/5⭐
3,5/5🌶️

This was my first book by this author, and it was an exciting journey! There were so many unexpected twists and turns, suspenseful moments, and some steamy scenes that kept me hooked. The main character, Carmela, is a mafia princess who was all set to marry Dante. But when her family is attacked—leading to her mom being killed and her dad ending up in a wheelchair—plans change dramatically, and she has to marry someone else.

For years, she finds herself married to a man who's evil, cruel, and heartless. Deep down, she knows her husband is behind the attack, but without any proof, she feels trapped. Meanwhile, Dante isn’t ready to give up on Carmela and is determined to gather evidence against her husband to win her back. In a twist of fate, his brother Christian is assigned to be Carmela's bodyguard. At first, Christian can’t stand her, but as they spend time together, he can’t help but feel drawn to her.

My heart really went out to Carmela for everything she had to endure. It was inspiring to see her grow from a naive, sweet girl into a strong woman ready to claim her freedom. I adored how Dante never lost hope in her and how Christian always seemed to be there when she needed help. Their situation is messy and complicated, but I loved how they all worked together, supporting each other and fighting for their happiness.

[L.V. Lane]

🖤 Tropes: MFM, why choose, arranged marriage💍, second chance 💔, escaping a bad relationship ⛓️‍💥, Forbidden love, age-gap with one MMC, slow burn🔥, spice🌶️, antagonists you will love to hate ☠️

📣Content advice: Parent Death (off screen), violence, blood, torture, assault/SA/rape *not by MMCs, arranged/forced marriage *not to MMCs, kidnap, dubious consent, non-consent, somnophilia, drugging, breath play, edging/ orgasm denial, forced orgasm, breeding kink, angry/ hate sex, birth control tampering.
​
📖Standalone​​​

[Melanie A.]

Don't know what happened here . . . but this was not edited properly. Or at all😒

[Eleanor Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A MFM why-Choose Dark Mafia legit good to the bones story that will have enthralled and entertained from start to finish!

Best Freaking Dark Mafia Romance to Rival Lovers of the Genre .. if I could this would be 10 freaking star ⭐️!

E-BOOK 📱📚
Bitter Poetry A Dark Mafia Romance
Author L.V.Lane

STORY: 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Unbelievably Good!
SPICE: 5🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Undeniably smoking!



Dante
A young up and coming consigliere who was to marry the young beautiful daughter of the Don was robbed of everything before it was even made known.
But Dante is no court jester nope he will seek revenge on the man who turned his world upside down and took from him the girl he had always wanted.

Christian
He is young, still barely a man, yet he carries himself like someone much older. He’s unique, a little unstable..hell a lot! but that’s part of his unorthodox charm.
He hates the girl who cost his brother so much.. a brother he would do anything for except he did the forbidden thing that may cost him his, life her and perhaps that of his brother.
And he isn’t even sorry!



Carmela
A young innocent girl who had thoughts of happily ever after was thrust literally into a life of nightmare proportions after her mothers demise, she found herself married to a ruthless conniving Don instead of the man she loved
Dante.. she found solace in the forbidden Christian her bodyguard Dante’s brother who hated her but wanted her… he thought he was punishing her but it turns out he was saving her from the darkness of her life… all the way she still loves and pinning for his brother a man who she should hate for leaving her with a monster!


✨Trapped in a loveless marriage to a ruthless mafia Don, I find solace in the forbidden.
Dante, the man I should have married. He still wants me.✨


Listennnnn
This story had me up straight till the crack of dawn!! When I tell you I could sleep until it’s finished.. I meant I really tried but sleep was no where to be found! Yup.. loved this story lived for the main characters especially Christian.. jeezus this guy with his brother Dante.
Straight Fire 🔥


This book gives everything from emotional damage to banter to hot as a Jamaican scotch bonnet peppers to intense action !!..
Definitely undeniably amazing!

Please please do not pass go .. add this one to your TBR let’s discuss your thoughts.

Why you #mustread this book…
🔥Why Choose
🦋Mafia
🔥Dark Romance
🖤MFM
🦋alpha male heroes
🔥arranged marriage
🖤second chance
🔥escaping a bad relationship
🦋forbidden love
🔥secret identity
🦋dark secrets

A special thanks and shout out to The Author Agency for this incredible piece of book!
And to you thanks for reading my ratings and reviews, catch you next time besties💋
One Love 💕
Georgious🦋

[Tatum Hobbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, let’s just sit together for a little while for the feminist that just left my body! 😭😭😭

Holy heck, I absolutely loved the book, it was so incredible! 🤭 Christian, Dante & Carmela were everything and more! There’s no one like them!

When we started the book off I had no clue how it was going to become a MFM because I absolutely loved everything we were getting from Dante & Carmela and then slowly but surely the picture started to form on our Christian was going to come into the mix and I LOVED EVERY SINGLE THING ABOUT THEM! 🤭🖤✨

I can honestly say I wish that they had a plan to help Carmela before anything ever happened to her especially because she meant so much to Dante but I can understand the reasoning behind why they didn’t and yes it made the story so much better, I just wish she never had to experience all the pain that she had! At the end of the day she was just this incredibly sweet *young* woman that was thrown into a life that no one gave her a life jacket for, my heart hurt for her but I will say that Christian and Dante 100% healed her & my heart in their very own unhinged way! 🤭🥹✨

There is so much to this book that I loved and so much more I want to share with you but I truly believe that you HAVE to go into this one blind… 👀

I’ll leave you some of the tropes that you get to experience in this book just because I really need you to read this booking and I’m hoping I can convince you to read it NOW! 🤭🖤✨

🖤 Why Choose
🖤 Maria
🖤 Dark Romance
🖤 MFM
🖤 Alpha Male Heroes
🖤 Arranged Marriage (NOT TO HIM & NOT TO HER)
🖤 Second Chance
🖤 Escaping A Bad Relationship
🖤 Forbidden Love
🖤 Secret Identity
🖤 Dark Secrets

Well, now that you’ve seen this I hope that you read this booking because it will take you on a wild ride! 🤭🥹🖤✨

[Rachel Nahabedian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked it (Rounded Up)

This book had everything I usually love in a dark mafia romance, but for some reason, it just didn’t fully click with me.

Carmela is set to marry Dante when tragedy strikes and her family is attacked, her mother killed, and her father left crippled. Forced into marrying a cruel, abusive man (who may even be behind the attack), Carmela’s world falls apart. Dante, unwilling to give her up, devises a plan to get her back with the help of his brother, Christian.

Christian, her assigned bodyguard, despises her…or at least, he wants to. What starts as a game of hate and cruelty soon turns into obsession, leaving Carmela torn between the two brothers and unable to choose where her heart truly lies.

On paper, this book had all the ingredients I look for: family betrayal, forbidden desire, a twisted love triangle, but I just couldn’t fully connect to the execution. I enjoyed it, but I was hoping to love it or even be obsessed.

Thank you to LV Lane and The Author Agency for the ARC.

[SJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mafia romance at its best!

This dark mafia romance was an emotional rollercoaster. The story intrigued me and captured my attention right away. This mafia world was full of back-stabbing deceit and deception. So many broken hearts including my own for these characters. I could not get enough of this drama and emotional turmoil. The plot was riddled with suspense and action. The steam and romance were slow-building torture but so good. All the supporting characters were great, the villains were extra easy to hate.

Two brothers + one mafia princess + extra hateable antagonists = a thrilling, suspenseful, steamy story full of agony and excitement.

This story is for you if you enjoy:
Dark romance
Mafia romance
Why choose
MFM
Arranged marriage
Second chance
Forbidden
Age-gap
Spicy
Check TW

Carmela (17) is a mafia princess. She's intelligent, sweet, and kind. My heart lunched when all the unfortunate events that took place shattered her world as she knew it. Being a mafia princess is never easy.

Dante (29) is deliciously sexy sin. He bides his time planning to take back what is taken from him. He is cunning and calculating which makes him deadlier when he strikes.
"...Your first kiss is mine. If I have my way, your first everything will be mine, too.”


Christian (17) is unhinged and I loved his character. Morally gray doesn't even do him justice. His inner monologue and things he said were hilarious.

The dynamic with both of the brothers was so different but also just right. The banter between Christian and Carmela was so good. They have a real enemies-to-lovers thing going.

The suspense and build-up were killing me. I wanted so much for the MCs to be happy after so much pain and misfortune. Did I get frustrated? Absolutely! Was I yelling at the book? Also yes. But was it worth it all in the end? 100%
Well done L.V. Lane, you have yourself a fan.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bitter Poetry is a dark, addictive why-choose mafia romance that pulls you into a world full of danger, secrets, and twisted loyalty. The writing is sharp, and the pacing never lets up — I found myself constantly wondering what would happen next.

There’s a nice level of spice throughout, but what really stood out was how emotionally charged the story became as it unfolded. I do wish the romantic storyline had developed earlier, just to give the connection between the characters a bit more depth before things got chaotic. That said, once the love story hits its stride, it’s raw, complicated, and worth the wait.

If you’re into morally gray characters, layered relationships, and plots that keep you guessing, this one’s for you. I'd definitely read it again — it’s the kind of book that sticks with you even after the final page.

[Kaprice Rowe · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this more than I did. I’ll preface this by saying L.V. Lane is one of my favorite authors for her Coveted Prey series, and this is what I believe to be her first foray into dark mafia romance. I received an ARC for my honest review.

This book is definitely dark, with violence, gore, SA on page (not by our MMCs though there are elements of DC). Do read the trigger/content warnings on the author’s website before diving in.

Several spicy scenes throughout the book, I’d say 5/5 🌶️ as they were explicit and kinky.

I felt the FMC Carmela was a Mary Sue. She seemed to just get pushed around by the plot except for the one major decision she actually made, that the whole time I was thinking “no no no! Why!?” It was a stupid decision made with no information or attempt to get more information before implementing her plan. I’m honestly not sure what the MMCs saw in her because she was a doormat.

Our MMCs are Dante and Christian. Christian seemed to have the most growth as a character, though overall the characters throughout the book felt pretty flat. There wasn’t a whole lot of character development and improvement. Things seemed to happen that were used to purposefully drive the plot forward.

There were still parts I enjoyed which is why I finished it at all.

The book is also unnecessarily long at nearly 600 pages and seemed to drag on at times before things really seemed like they were progressing the story.

The story and characters were overall forgettable.

There were elements that took me out of the story frequently. Several times throughout there were phrases like “get in the queue” which, as this takes place in Chicago USA, the correct American phrasing would be “get in line.” I would have appreciated perhaps an American proofreader to pick up things like this that make the experience a little jarring.

I hope the author continues her Coveted Prey collection.

[Narelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, delicious, sexy and dangerous are just a few words to describe Carmela, Dante and Christian's story. She is promised to marry Dante but things are switched around and she marries another man. Mafia drama and politics, love and lust, betrayal and violence are a few more things in store in this forbidden, off-limits romance. Loved it!!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jessica (Bestie Book Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing! I know this is the first mafia Romance that this author has written and she did a fabulous job. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I loved the storyline I was invested in the characters and everything flowed nicely. I read a lot of mafia romance, and sometimes I can get bored, but this one held my attention the whole time.

[Tanvi Sutar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bitter Poetry by L.V. Lane
Rate-4/5

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s a shame that so many overhyped books with little substance get endless attention, while this one ,so complete, well written, and thoughtfully put together,has so few reviews. It had everything in it. It truly deserves far more recognition than it gets. I feel lucky to have found it ❤️❤️❤️

[Patti · Rating 2 out of 5]

As an avid L.V. reader, I wish I liked this book. But I found the book to be way too long. It was very repetitive and long-winded. A good portion of the book, especially the action and violence, felt more of a telling than showing and actually going through it with the characters.
Some of the wording still had the omegaverse vibe, which was kind of odd for a mafia read.

I enjoyed Christian's pov best. Dante, at times and especially Carmela's, came off as whiney. I did not remotely like, nor could I stand Carmela.

[Adrienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bitter Poetry (A Dark Mafia Romance) was everything the title implies and so much more. Imagine my surprise to find out that L.V. Lane, one of the queens of the Omegaverse, has written a dark mafia romance! And as to be expected this book is action-packed, brutal, moving, steamy, and passionate - literally bitter poetry with an amazingly satisfying conclusion and HEA.

Our sweet FMC Carmela is a lovely obedient mafia princess. She is ready and willing to fulfill her obligations as such, in an arranged marriage, that is set up by her father the Don. It has not been announced yet that she will marry MMC Dante but is all but finalized when tragedy occurs and circumstances change. Her world is torn apart when her poor mother is brutally slaughtered and her father left disabled and unable to continue as Don of the family. She ends up engaged and swiftly married off to the new Don (Ettore). He is a man who wants to use and break her, all for power and control.

But Dante has already thought of Carmela as his and no matter what has happened he is not letting her go. There are things in play, including the reemergence of his cousin Leon, the rightful new Don. Dante’s younger brother and enforcer in training, Christian, also comes into the picture. Christian is working for Ettore but as a kind of double agent. His loyalty will always be first with his brother Dante and their cousin Leon.

Christian is wild and I absolutely loved him! His inner thoughts are unhinged and hilarious. He is assigned to be Carmela’s bodyguard and even though he wants to hate the princess, he falls hard for her. The more forbidden the better haha.

There is a one year time jump and both brothers remain completely obsessed with sweet Carmela, as they work toward making a change in their world along with their cousin Leon, and a handful of men who are loyal to them. And our dear Carmela goes through it. She has not been treated right and it is hard for her to know who to trust. Her husband mistreats and abuses her, her father abandoned her to that man, and the men that she wants, she has a love-hate relationship with. Not to mention the fact that they are brothers.

I love these three so much and it was awesome to watch their character development. The men are obsessed and the only goal is one where she is theirs to share and love forever. Carmela is the perfect princess and shows incredible strength, even when she has to pick herself back up.

“I wanted some control over my destiny, but I went about it in all the wrong ways. Nobody has absolute power. We are all subject to forces beyond our control. But there is strength in submission, in trusting someone to take care of you because they have pieces you don’t , and you likewise have pieces that they don’t.” She shows that you can submit and trust but still be the strong one.

This book is full of action and intrigue. I really loved the well written mafia world that takes a traditional approach to hierarchy and customs. I love the forgiveness that happens with her father and how Dante is also taking care of her father and sister and letting them be in a house on the property and close by because he knows she needs that.

The modern approach to the relationships between Dante and Carmela, Carmela and Christian was very well done and realistic. The ending is perfect and beautiful and fully brought me to tears. I would love to read more about Leon, Cherry, Jessica, the Pakhan, and some of the other side characters!

[Athena, the goddess of books · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the center of the novel is Carmela Accardi, the poised and dutiful daughter of Don Cedro, the head of a powerful mafia family. After her mother's murder in a targeted attack and her father's paralyzing injuries, Carmela finds herself vulnerable in a world where women are often pawns in the power games of men.

Her betrothal to Dante Barone, her father’s consigliere, is arranged and—shockingly—mutually respectful. Dante is powerful, calculating, and genuinely fond of Carmela, though the marriage is initially a duty rather than a romantic pursuit. There’s an age gap, but Dante is willing to wait for Carmela to come of age and give her consent, a rare kindness in their brutal world.

However, the future that seemed set in stone is ripped away when her father, fearing his death and the instability of his weakened leadership, makes a chilling decision: he gives Carmela to Ettore Gallo, the sinister and power-hungry underboss who may have orchestrated both Cedro's assassination attempt and Carmela’s mother’s murder.

Dante is devastated, but bound by the mafia code. Despite his outward calm, he harbors deep suspicions about Ettore and is torn between loyalty to the family and his growing love for Carmela.

Carmela, meanwhile, is coerced into marriage with Ettore—a man whose every touch repulses her and who uses manipulation, power imbalance, and threats to control her. The novel explores her **descent into psychological captivity**, framed by the toxic code of silence and subservience expected of mafia women.

Enter Christian Barone—Dante’s much younger, deeply unhinged brother—who quickly becomes a central and chilling figure in the novel. Christian, an underage enforcer with a talent for violence and zero moral boundaries, steals every scene he's in. He’s both terrifying and magnetic, and his dark obsession with Carmela begins to rival Dante’s restrained love.

The chemistry between Carmela and Dante is restrained but potent. He’s her protector, but also complicit in the system that chains her. When she's forced into marriage with Ettore, Dante backs off… but Christian doesn’t. His dangerous fixation sets the stage for major conflict later.

There are themes of forbidden desire, protection twisted by violence, and female subjugation in a patriarchal structure. Some of the most emotionally complex scenes occur in private conversations between Dante and Carmela, who clearly want each other but are always interrupted—by duty, fear, or Ettore.

[KittyLuvr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely outstanding dark Mafia MFM.
The writing, the plot, the characters were enthralling for this reader & I found myself spellbound from the beginning to the very end. Completely swirled into the author's world peopled with 3 main characters:
Carmela, Dante & Christian.
And while I truthfully loved Carmela & Dante, Christian was the blazing star of the book. Not that Carmela or Dante were lacking but that Christian was so deliciously, delightfully over the top fascinating.
Christian (Dante's younger brother & working for/spying on a rival Don for his brother) is assigned as Carmela's bodyguard by the rival who is Carmela's husband, to keep her rigidly in line & controlled. Snarky, smart-ass, whip sharp, fearless, smoothly sexy, & intent on baiting his detested charge he is verbally as well as emotionally cruel to the helplessly trapped & very young Carmela.
Yet sexual tension, heat & desire between the two is dangerously intense. And this taut, combative relationship drives a large & mesmerizing portion of the book.
And when Dante re-enters Carmela's life it is explosive & emotionally searing.
But can Dante, Carmela & Christian escape the evil cruel tentacles & reach of her enraged husband?

This one is superbly written. Containing bitter betrayal, misunderstandings, cruelty, scorching heat, imbroglio, suspense, terror as well as love & heart wrenching epiphanies that grab the reader's heart & causing their emotions to run the gamut from despair to soaring hope.
And this is not a bare bones quick read: its length allows for a complex, enthralling meaty read that captures the reader deliciously in the development of the main & secondary characters as well as the plot.

For the reader who craves a meaty read peopled with characters you care for, care about, root for, hope for as well as villains you pray get their comeuppance the hard painful way, read this one.
Seriously, read it.
I did & thoroughly enjoyed it, start to finish & I will definitely be rereading it again.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie's Book Reports.

This is a dark why choose romance. You will want to check the trigger warnings in the beginning of this book before you dive in.
This is the story of Carmela, Dante and Christian. Carmela is in a horrible arranged marriage. Dante is a man she use to love but had to stop when she was promised to her horrible husband. His younger brother Christian is assigned to be Carmela's bodyguard. But, he is also there on Dante's orders to keep an eye on what goes on in the house and with Carmela. Dante is a good guy who was to take a bride and that bride of his crossing was Carmela but she wasn't of age at that point and he had to wait. But things when terribly wrong when her mother is killed and her father is barley about to survive but decides that his daughter is better off with Ettore when he takes over as the boss in her father's absence. He is a horrible man!!!! And I despised him but Carmela is trying to keep the peace and her younger sister Jessica safe. But she really wanted to be with Dante. So begins a life that no young woman should have to endure. But, Christian comes along and changes things. She and Dante meet up on occasion and a plan is hatched to save her. I can't say more than that or I am going to give something away. This was the first time I have read a book by L.V. Lane, but it won't be may last. I really enjoyed reading this book. It kept me on my toes the entire time and I couldn't figure parts of it out and sure didn't know what Carmela should do. If you like your stories with twists and turns and dark, then you should read this book.

[Michaela Zeno · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, thank you to The Author Agency for sending me an ARC of this book. I really enjoyed it but I felt like the pacing was a little up-and-down. I was intrigued with the plot so I kept on going. Our female main character Carmela definitely got pushed around a lot in my opinion. Obviously there’s some things that were out of control, but I just wanted to see homegirl be a little bit stronger, other than that I enjoyed her. Then Dante and Christian are our male main characters and are brothers. I feel like Christian had more character growth than Dante because I ain’t gonna lie at the start of the book I wasn’t a fan of Christian, but he grew on me. Christian and Carmela have an enemies to lovers relationship where Dante and Carmela have always had that initial attraction/crush with one another. Carmela was promised to Dante for a marriage, but then something happened with Carmela‘s family and that didn’t happen. She ended up getting married to someone else. Dante is upset about the situation and so is Carmela but she has no choice in the matter. Dante gets sent away and Christian becomes her bodyguard. Christian despises her because what his brother has been through and XYZ. The dynamic between the three is funny because Carmela has always liked Dante and not so much Christian but overtime she starts to develop this relationship with Christian because they understand each other on a different level than what she does with Dante. Overall things come together and it works out. I enjoyed this and I loved the mystery aspect and things finally coming to light. There were a lot of secrets, betrayal and drama and I think it all worked really well!!

[Indecent Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bitter Poetry: A Dark Mafia Romance
by L.V. Lane
590 pages

Tropes:
MFM/why choose
mafia
arranged marriage
second chance


Bitter Poetry is a gripping why choose dark mafia romance packed with twists, tension, and heat. I was completely drawn in by the story and the characters, Carmela, and the brothers, Dante and Christian.

At first, I thought Dante would be the one "running the show." But by the end? I was fully obsessed with Christian, the younger brother and pure, delicious chaos.

Carmela is supposed to marry Dante, but when the brutal realities of the mafia world intrude, she’s forced to marry Ettore instead. An older, ruthless don who is cruel and controlling. Trapped and desperate to survive, Carmela is determined to find a way out.

Enter Christian, assigned as Carmela's bodyguard (and spy for Dante). What begins as animosity between him and Carmela quickly turns into a dark, obsessive love-hate dynamic. While Carmela and Dante have history and undeniable feelings, Christian, on the other hand, isn’t exactly her biggest fan...at first. But the more time they spend together, the more that simmering se*ual tension and obsession boils over.

There’s drama. There’s blood. And there are plenty of steamy, angst-filled moments. Both brothers want her. And Carmela? She’s not about to choose. And honestly, after everything she’s been through, she absolutely deserves that kind of happy ending.


Thank you so much L.V. Lane and The Author Agency for providing me with an arc copy. All thoughts are my own!

[Nikki B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy crap!! Bitter Poetry was sooo good! This was a dark, why choose, mafia ,forbidden romance.
Carmela is set to marry Dante. He wants to do right by her and wait until she's older, until she's finished school, and until she's ready. As time comes closer for them to wed, an attack takes place and she is now set to be wed to the enemy. Dante doesn't want it to happen, but there isn't much he can do. He does have special advantages though, as his brother Christian will be her body guard.
Dante is of a sweet, loving, caring, docile nature while Christian is the ruthless, risk taker.
While I absolutely loved the whole dynamic between the three of them, Christian was really the keeper here. This man risked his life with her constantly, was always willing to go to bat for her, always coming to her rescue. It seemed to me that Dante just got to sit back and reap the benefits. The only claim he really had to her was that they were supposed to get married first. Christian and Carmela has a true enemies to lovers relationship with lots of banter.
Then, there's her husband Ettore. While I don't think that Ettore was that horrible to Carmela, everyone was pretty sure he was responsible for the death of Carmela's mother. Though, how he didn't see what was going on with Carmela right under his nose was beyond me. But in the end, he ended up getting what he deserved.
This book is pretty long but me trust me when I say, there is never a dull moment. This book was intriguing, spicy, and full of moral corruption! Definitely a must read!

[Little monster · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do love a MFM why choose dark romance!! the only reason I gave it 4 stars was that I felt it was a tad too long.....could have been at least 200 pages less!! Hence why I felt it dragged in some places and the story could have been told a bit quicker but apart from that I really enjoyed this.

Dante, Christian and Carmela what can I say!!! These three were everything!! I loved the chemistry between Dante and Carmela but then throw in Chris too and oof you have yourself a hot 🔥 MFM story!!! I did love Dante and Carmela together but the one outstanding character for me was Christian his transformation during this book was amazing to read.... the thing is Dante and Christian are brothers and two very hot ones lol.

Carmela is told she must marry and is given to Dante when she turns 18 but after a family tragedy she is then turned over to another man one that is much older than her.....he is not a nice man at all!!! The things she has to go through is unbearable she is trapped and with nowhere to go she has to rely on her bodyguard.....oh yes you guessed it Christian....he's there to keep an eye on her after Dante disappears. The sexual tension between these two is off the scale 🔥 but when Dante re-enters her life it's explosive to say the least but can Dante help her escape the clutches of her enraged husband?

This is fantastically written the spice is off the scale hot I was really rooting for Carmela and her strength was something else!! Honestly if you love Why choose, MFM and spice then you'll love this.

[Tiffany Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

**A Great Story**

"Bitter Poetry" is a captivating standalone mafia dark romance featuring the intriguing characters Carmela, Dante, and Christian. They navigate a world filled with family betrayal and secrets, all in the pursuit of their happily ever after.

Originally, Carmela and Dante were set to marry once Carmela finished college, but unexpected arrangements disrupted their plans. Now, she's faced with the daunting prospect of marrying a much older and cruel Don. Dante, on the other hand, has been sent away on the Don's orders to keep him away from Carmela, and now Christian, who has his own share of resentment towards Carmela for Dante’s state of mind, becomes her unexpected bodyguard.

The chemistry between the three is incredibly strong and impossible to ignore. While Carmela and Dante have always had feelings for each other, the relationship between Carmela and Christian develops into something deeper over time, leading to some very steamy moments!

I really loved this book! The journey of Carmela, Dante, and Christian was filled with drama, betrayals, and unexpected twists, making it a thrilling read. In the end, they fought hard for their love and truly earned their happy ending, which was so well-deserved.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mikaela (risqué.romance) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bitter Poetry - L.V. Lane
4.25/5✨🌟

* Arranged marriage
* Why choose
* Mafia romance
* Second chance
* Alpha male heroes

* SPOILERS *

𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘐’𝘮 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘺. 𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘢𝘮, 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵, 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴—𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮—𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘐𝘧 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘵.

Dante, Carmela, & Christian were everything that I wanted and so much. I’ve never read anything by L.V. Lane and man, now I’m a huge fan. There was so much going on and I was sucked into this dark romance from the very first chapter.

This book had a lot of my favorite tropes from poly, arranged marriage, dark mafia romance. I flew through this book so fast and I only wanted more when the book was complete.

And oh heck, the spice scenes were absolutely dirty and so freaking good. I was not prepared when the guys start to share her, but I was so here for it.

The ending was so perfect and when she found out what the guys did at the end, I had to hold in my laughter because these guys were not going to stop anything until she was theirs. I love a good romance when the MC is unhinged and possessive over his love interest.

I received a copy of this book and this is my honest review.

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're into dark romance with a mafia twist and a whole lot of forbidden longing, Bitter Poetry is a must-read.

LV Lane delivers a story that’s raw, gritty, and emotionally tangled in all the best ways. The book follows Carmela, a woman born into a mafia family, who’s promised to Dante—a man she shares a complicated past with. But when tragedy hits her family and her father is left injured, she’s forced into a loveless marriage with a sleazy up-and-coming mob boss.

Carmela's world turns bleak, but there’s a spark of danger and comfort in Dante’s brother, who’s now her bodyguard. The emotional push-pull between Carmela, Dante, and his brother adds a layer of tension that fans of Credence by Penelope Douglas will absolutely devour. The romantic dynamics are messy, intense, and addictive.

Dante, though, steals the spotlight—brooding, loyal, and everything you'd want in a morally gray mafia hero. I couldn’t get enough of him.

Without spoiling too much, there’s betrayal, power struggles, secret plans, and a satisfying happily ever after that ties it all up just right.

Final thoughts: Bitter Poetry is dark, steamy, and captivating. If you love high-stakes romance, complicated love triangles, and stories that don’t shy away from the messy parts of love, grab this one. Highly recommend!

[Randi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A dark, why choose, mafia romance? Say whaaaaa?

I enjoyed the read that this was. Bitter Poetry was an angsty mafia, why choose romance. It took me to Cedar Point and put me on the Steel Vengeance...what a rollercoaster and keeping you on your toes.

Carmela is the FMC who was placed in an arranged marriage because of promises with families. Tragic. Because no one likes what's behind door number 1 ever. Dante is now the Bossman in his family. Then Christian is actually the guy who is worth something. Why do I say this? First off, Christian is assigned to Carmela. Carmela and Christian have such good chemistry and a dynamic. Christian truly is the definition of a ride or die and he would lay it all on the line for Carmela. Grant it....we had enemies to lovers going on initially, but you get what I mean. But then in waltzes Dante and reaps all the benefits because Carmela and Dante spice it up too. I don't know... I just think that Christian and her had more of a chemistry together than anything. Maybe I am partial to the crazy ones lol.

I do think this book could have been about 200 or so pages less. I think almost 600 was a bit unnecessary. Sometimes it just felt like we kept going to keep going. But I didn't overly mind it because the plot and the suspense kept me reading.

[Jai Rahim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I am confused though, because it’s marketed as a standalone, but I’ve read another book set in this same mafia world, with some of the same characters including Carmela, Cosmo, Etorre, Christian and Jero, but involving a different couple. As I’ve said, this ‘standalone’ tag confuses me, moreso because the other book contains the exact scene where Cosmo gets caught jacking off on Carmela’s stolen scarf at a party. Jero shows Christian how to cut off one of Cosmo’s testicles, as a consequence of his actions. I can’t remember the title of the original book, and it’s driving me nuts.

Anyway, there is two peeves that I have with Bitter Poetry. Although some readers complain that the story was too long, I feel like two opportunities were missed::

1) Cosmo’s inference that Ettore put him up to the assault on Carmela, with the end goal of surrogate impregnation. Carmela never mentioned to anyone what Cosmo admitted to her. It was a heinous act that should have been included in Ettore’s list of crimes against Carmela, and the Barones.

2) At payback time, I wanted Dante to tell Ettore that though he was coerced into marrying Helena, she never truly got him as a husband. He should have rubbed it in Ettore’s face, that he never once consummated the marriage. That would have felt more satisfying in the payback.

Also, I hope Leon & Cherry get/have their own book.

[Hali Hegeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The way I need more of this trio!! I need everyone to pick this up ASAP!

Bitter Poetry is a dark, forbidden, second chance, why choose romance between Carmela, Dante, and Christian.

I really felt for Carmela and how she has to be strong for herself and for her family as she endures a horrible and disgusting man (the antagonist, not the heroes). I loved how Dante and Christian are not only her safe space, but also the only two people who she can trust when they tell her she can believe them. I loved the freedom she found with them, and how she’s able to take back her story and rewrite it for herself.

If you love dark/mafia men, you will fall hard for Dante and Christian. Yes, they’re both unhinged, I expect no less in a mafia romance, and I loved how protective and possessive they are when it comes to Carmela. Their planning is actually pretty genius, that’s all I’ll say about the plot to avoid spoiling anything, and I loved how there’s a sense of healing they find with Carmela. This romance is absolutely dark, but I loved it, and so will y’all.

Thank you so much to @authorlvlane and @theauthor.agency for my arc! I will absolutely be picking up more from this author in the future.

Bitter Poetry is now available in KU💗

[Alyssa GSell · Rating 4 out of 5]

🩶ARC Review🩶

4/5⭐️

Available August 1st‼️

This is the first book I have read from this author.

I seen the cover, went and looked at the tropes and signed up for the arc.

Carmela was supposed to marry Dante and he was willing to wait till she was done with college but things changed dramatically and she was married off to someone else…

Her new husband is much much older and she is now 18.. She is the mafia princess and has to deal with a lot.

Dante’s little brother is the same age as Carmela and he is a soldier for her new husband so when things go down he eventually tells his brother what is going on.

Christian hates Carmela and wants to mess with her but in the process of constantly being around her he falls hard and they mess around.

He is more unhinged than Dante but will legit do anything for Carmela.

Dante and Christian have a plan… Things start to happen and it gets messy..

Carmela didn’t listen and had her own plan which made things even more messy….

This poor girl has to go through a lot before she gets her happy ending which she is confused about at first because she now loves them both and can’t live without them…

Dante and Christian love her to pieces💋

[Kim Bobbitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bitter Poetry is like sitting down to watch a movie. There’s something about mafia romance that is so compelling. The connections, the mystery and the constantly shifting loyalties always make for an intense ride. Stories full of people forced into positions they never wanted but were merely born into alongside people who were simply born with violence in their blood is such an interesting dichotomy. The twisted love story of Carmela and the men who love her is no exception.
The sheer number of times I said wow or grabbed my face in shock should tell you how immensely twisted and exciting this story is. I was riveted to the very end. The way the author constantly switches perspectives adds to the tension and provides a complete picture of what all players are doing at any given moment. It truly does feel like you’re watching a movie.
No one is this book is without their issues and morally ambiguous moments, but you will find yourself rooting for them despite their faults. Bitter Poetry is SPICY and full of triggers so I definitely want all my book friends to go into this story informed, but I was truly entertained and impressed with this sizzling Maria romance.