The Serano Brothers

by S.W. Frank

Nicolo and Vincenzo Serano are twins without much in common, unless you consider they're trained to protect the family. But, teens with a penchant for trouble might not be ready for such a task. When Don Palazzo sends the twins on a test-run, he finds they're still too young. It will take time and hard knocks for the boys to grow-up and when they do, they will be the family's deadliest Protettori. La Famiglia Books Preceding the Alfonzo The Scorned Queen, Reign of a Mafia Don, The Serano Brothers *This novel contains sensitive and explicit material not suitable for minors.

223 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 30, 2014

About the author

S. W. Frank resides in New York. Art, poetry, music and writing were always quiet joys. A former NYC emergency medical worker and contributing writer for her law school journal, the author decided to pursue the obsession of storytelling full-time. Since then she dusted off manuscripts and decided to share stories with the public.

The Guardian, 2013 article, 'The Gems of Indie Publishing' readers' have stated, "[S.W. Frank] is bold and unapologetic in her delivery."

The Alfonzo series, voted on Goodreads as 1 of the Best Mob and Multicultural/Interracial Romance's for 2012.

The author states, "I write stories with multicultural characters that are desirable, smart and intriguing. They're stories of interesting people that I wanted to read and my small contribution to literary world to include diversity."

Reviews

[Karen's Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you've read any of the books in the Alfonzo series by S.W. Frank, then you've definitely heard of the Nico and Vincent. In the Serano Brothers, we get to know what life was like for them as they became the elusive twin enforcers that we grew to love. Being a part of the Protezione was never what Nico aspired to be, he wanted be artist. Vincent had no such problem adapting to life as killer, in fact he thrived at it. While trying to be the protectors and defenders of their family, they try to navigate the ups and downs of having a life for themselves. I loved the interactions between the brothers, twins who are total opposites are bound to cause trouble for one another, and these two had a lot of it. There were lessons learned, loyalty tested, lots of action, and bits of romance to make for an awesome read. They didn't always do the right thing or follow protocol as they were taught, but in the end the three pillars of the Protezione: honor, loyalty, and sacrifice, was the credo they always aim to live by. Thank you S.W. Frank for another great read in The Serano Brothers

[TOwens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the twins

I fell in love with the twins, Nico and Vin while reading the Alfonzo series. I was sooooooo happy to find their book that tells their story on becoming the enforcers that they are.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really helpful in understanding Nico and his brother.

[Kim C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twin boys born raised to endue. Hardened along the way learning the life of a Protezione. They were taught the 3 Pillars (Honor, Loyalty and Sacrifice) rules never meant to be broken.

One always down for fun. A natural born killer, who liked to burned purple leaves. Drank drinks that burn the chest. His smile and eyes offered promises of smooth conversation along with drunken kisses. He lived life like he was on a constant vacation, but he wasn't without his heart ships. Maybe this is why he lived on the edge constantly. If you lived your life high on a cloud of constant of happiness. How would you ever really taste sadness or remember your regrets?

The second blessed with the gift of genius. Talent endless, yet he's barely breathing. Yearning for a simple life of freedom giving him options. Blinded. His gaze is filled with red roses. Daily baths in love. Choosing not to look at the future he is destined for. He finds himself harshly force into the realization of what he is and forming stone walls along the way. Accepting the darkness. The submission of what he is to become. Believing himself soulless until he's presented with a gift of unexpected/fated love.

With the Serano Brothers SW Frank grants us a look into the many sacrifices our favorite enforcers made for their Mi Familia. Along the way she gives us a deeper look into their relationships with fathers, mother, uncles, aunts and lovers unlike before.

Alberti- He is my favorite out of the three brothers. It was nice to see the love and that he'd stand-up to anyone harming his sons.

Luzo- He ruled with an iron first, but underneath it all was the need to keep his family safe. Love.

Carlo/Sophie- They were no push-overs. They shared a love most couples never know in there life time. Carlo/Sophie made a wickedly powerful couple.

Ernesto- Loved all three of his boys beyond reason and raised them the only way he knew how. He was harder on Nico because he saw greatness being suppressed.

Lavina/Ariana- Lavina is his beginning. Loosing her, his first love plants the seed of savior in him. This ultimately leads him to his last, but fated love Ariana. He does for her what he couldn't for Lavina.

SW-Thank you for gifting us with The Serano Brothers. It was a wonderful touching back story to read. Selfishly I only wished it was longer.

[M.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the Serano brothers we learn so much about our beloved twin assassins, how they became the men they were and what lead Vin and Nico down there path to Mafia infamy. Nicolo and Vincenzo Serano are identical twins in features but the boys are as different as night and day. Nico dreams of painting, going to a university in Paris and wants no part of the family business Vin however, embraces his roll and his life as a hit man for the Giancanti family just like their father the feared Ernesto “the Butcher” Serano. As decreed by Don Luzo , the head of the Giancanti family the boys are thrown into a world of kill or be killed and they excel. Gallivanting around the world doing their job as enforcers has its perks as well as its down falls, add in women, family secrets, a job gone bad along the way with growing pains and it could spell disaster for this duo.
I love this book; I don’t know what more I can say that has not been said about the Alfonzo series. It is by far and wide the best one out there. I know this book is called the Serano Brothers but I looked at it as more of a prequel to the Alfonzo books. This is just what you would expect from S.W. Frank. The book was written well, gave a lot of history of the Giancanti and revealed some secrets that I am sure will be revealed in future books. I have to re-read the whole series (I’m in the process of doing that now) because I love it. I could not believe Vin and his actions, I was shocked! But the real surprises for me where Sergio and Lorenzo, I had to pick my jaw up off the floor, to say I was surprised is an understatement. Great read, wonderful book, if you are not reading S.W. Franks books you are so missing out! Outstanding!

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[P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an awesome backstory on the twin enforcers. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about a young Nicolo and Vincenzo.

This backstory lays the foundation of how Nicolo became the man we know him to be. We can see how Nicolo's need to be the alpha male and save a damsel in distress leads to his disloyal coupling with Selange and Bicana. Ari just wasn't as needy. It appears he never got over his first true love Lavina. That being said he still gave Ari what he intended for Lavina to have . I think had Ari showed her true feelings for Nicolo on the twins fifth birthday maybe they wouldn't have gone through so much discourse. We already knew Nicolo never wanted the enforcer lifestyle for himself, but ultimately honor, loyalty and sacrifice - the three Pillars of a Protezione continues to win out.

It appears that Vincenzo was cut out for it. Was he really? I think it found his coping mechanism (drugs and sex) early on, to help in getting him through. He did eventually did get his wish in the end - going out in a blaze thus securing his seat among an inner circle of warrior spirits. But what becomes of his son Lorenzo being raised by the Cuvato family? Does Vincenzo leave some type of document to let Nico know all of what actually occurred in New York when they were nineteen?

As with all books within this series more secrets are revealed and not all family members are aware. How coincidental that the car Vincenzo hit and the man that died was Selange's father. Does she ever find out? How likely is it that one looses both parents because of direct contact with the Giacanti family? One would think that Selange's destiny was the Giacanti family.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alright. Ms. Frank has been absent from my reading list for a while. Even though, I have a few of her books stashed on my kindle that have not been read as of yet. I have read the Alfonzo series from the beginning. I may have to go back and read it again but one of my favorite characters was killed off in the middle of the series and it has cause me not to re read the series but I have continued on. Just in the case with the Serano Brothers. This is the beginning tale of Nico and Vincent and how they became the families top enforcers. While I love the story telling done by Ms. Frank, I have had an issue about the "poetic" way she seems to write. This book had the poetic writing but I was still able to follow along. Before this book, you get the sense, that Nico was a slut. lol After this book, you get the feeling that Nico was true romantic at heart but he still has a number of children lol You really get a look at Vincent and the relationship that he Nico have along with the relationship they develop with Alfonzo.

This book should be read before the latest Alfonzo books 16 & 17. They basically detailed info that will come up in the next 2 books. The one thing that I am hoping for with the Alfonzo series in general, is Selange and if she will ever have any of her own relatives pop up ever. I like this book. It diffidently brings a new picture of some of the current characters in the series.

[Kellsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok so I wasn't happy with this book. Simply be chase they focused too much on the past. What I really wanted to know it didn't show me. I wanted to know more about Nico and this wife and their kids and how they interact. I wanted to know more about Vin and if he was ever gonna be able to have a closer relationship with his son. The interesting things I wanted to know. Didn't happen. I got maybe half a page on both and it seemed like the book just cut of suddenly. Like the author had to make a deadline and it was over.

[charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

At last......

Finally a book on Nico!! I'm sorry to say I read this before Actavus. Seeing all that Nico went through because of Vin was too much. Too bad Vin was killed early in the series. I hope we get to see about what made Vin the way he was too. This one answers a few questions that I imagine we all had. Now gripped with some insight into Nico I will start Actavus. Since I am reading out of order, I don't want to give much away, but this is a really good book.

[Tiffanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serano Life

Once again Donna SW Frank doesn't disappoint! An awesome insight to the family we can't get enough of. This story gave me a better understanding of my love Nico and his brother Vincent. I will definitely read this again because so much about the other characters become clear. SW is like CSI always keeping me on my toes!

[Christine Duncan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I read this out of sequence???

This was an ok read maybe I read this book out of sequence. I thought it was a stand alone book but obviously not the case. It was disjointed and not the easiest to follow.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just started this series. This gave a lot of insight into Nico and Vin. I am now going to read Awakening and the others.

[Cherryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I know!

This book gives they background of the twins so much clearer than in the Alfonzo series. Vincenzo was the wild and crazy twin. Nico was the more sensitive and cerebral one. S.W. Frank developed these boys from children to men, showing the events that influenced their lives to make them the men they became. With Vin, we see more of this personality in this book than in the Alfonzo series. It was Nico's falling out with him and telling him he was tired of being punished for his F ups and the death of their mother that caused him to mature and stop being selfish and self destructive.

With Nico, his epiphany came much earlier with the death of his first love that was not discussed in the Alfonzo series at all. It was his karmic meeting of Arianna Matheson on that iconic anniversary and subsequent impregnation and marriage, gave Nico the drive to want what he could have had with Lavina. Even though their marriage is one of convenience, both secretly want it to be more. They have a lot to work on in their marriage as we see in the series. We also see where both he and his twin have an immediate visceral reaction to Alfonzo's new girlfriend Selange. For those who've read the series knows what going to happen so I won't be a spoil sport.

I enjoyed reading this book and all the books associated with the series. It was great to get a background on the twin's early years. As always, the characters and plot was well written.