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Mafia Empire #3
Death
From USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author Michelle Heard comes a new STANDALONE, full-length MAFIA ROMANCE novel.
I walked out of my home and away from my loving sister to protect her. Either I left with him, the man who’s watched me from the shadows for months, or he would kill Grace.
It’s been nine months of living in pure agony and hell.
Nine months since I last saw Grace.
Nine months of him controlling every aspect of my life.
My mind has shattered, and I’m not sure I’ll ever escape him.
Until I do.
The only problem? Not even minutes after running for my life, I’m captured again by another man. This one is charming with his hot smiles and promises of safety, and he rules over his kingdom like a beloved god.
Is the brutality I see in his eyes just my imagination? Do I dare trust that he won’t hurt me?
I know what he wants.
Me.
I’m just not sure there’s anything left of me to give to him.
STANDALONE: A Mafia Romance full-length novel.
Each book in the Mafia Empire series is interconnected, but about a different couple who will all find their HEA.
I walked out of my home and away from my loving sister to protect her. Either I left with him, the man who’s watched me from the shadows for months, or he would kill Grace.
It’s been nine months of living in pure agony and hell.
Nine months since I last saw Grace.
Nine months of him controlling every aspect of my life.
My mind has shattered, and I’m not sure I’ll ever escape him.
Until I do.
The only problem? Not even minutes after running for my life, I’m captured again by another man. This one is charming with his hot smiles and promises of safety, and he rules over his kingdom like a beloved god.
Is the brutality I see in his eyes just my imagination? Do I dare trust that he won’t hurt me?
I know what he wants.
Me.
I’m just not sure there’s anything left of me to give to him.
STANDALONE: A Mafia Romance full-length novel.
Each book in the Mafia Empire series is interconnected, but about a different couple who will all find their HEA.
291 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2025
2152 people are currently reading
3207 people want to read
About the author
Michelle Heard
90 books12k followersMichelle Heard is a USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Amazon #3 Bestselling romance author.
She writes emotional heart-shattering stories with a whole lot of Mafia & Romance that will leave you smiling with satisfaction. Every book has an unexpected twist that will show the strength of the characters.
Before becoming an author, Michelle had a career in banking. She lives in South Africa with her son, Sheldon, who's also her right-hand man when it comes to all things publishing, and her daughter-in-law, Tayla, who's her best friend.
Reading Order on AMAZON
STANDALONE NOVELS:
***Mafia & Bratva Romance (in order)***
THE SAINTS SERIES:
Merciless Saints - Damien Vetrov
Cruel Saints - Lucian Cotroni
Ruthless Saints - Carson Koslov
Tears of Betrayal - Demitri Vetrov
Tears of Salvation - Alexei Koslov
THE SINNERS SERIES:
Taken By A Sinner - Nikolas Stathoulis
Owned By A Sinner - Liam Byrne
Stolen By A Sinner - Gabriel Demir
Chosen By A Sinner - Luca Cotroni
Captured By A Sinner - Viktor Vetrov
THE CORRUPTED ROYALS SERIES:
Destroy Me - Misha Petrov
Control Me - Nikolai Vetrov
Brutalize Me - Armani De Santis
Restrain Me - Maxim Levin
Possess Me - Alek Aslanhov
SERIES (In Order):
ENEMIES TO LOVERS SERIES:
***College & New Adult Romance***
Heartless - Carter & Della
Reckless - Logan & Mia
Careless - Jaxson & Leigh
Ruthless - Marcus & Willow
Shameless - Rhett & Evie
TRINITY ACADEMY SERIES:
***College Romance***
Falcon - Falcon & Layla
Mason - Mason & Kingsley
Lake - Lake & Lee
Julian - Julian & Jamie
The Epilogue
THE HEIRS:
***College & New Adult Romance***
Coldhearted Heir - Hunter & Jade
Arrogant Heir - Jase & Mila
Defiant Heir - Kao & Fallon
Loyal Heir - Forest & Aria
Callous Heir - Noah & Carla
Sinful Heir - Tristan & Hana
Tempted Heir - Christopher & Dash
Forbidden Heir - Ryker & Danny
SOUTHERN HEROES SERIES:
***Suspense Romance***
The Ocean Between Us – Aiden & Emma
The Girl In The Closet – Cole & Birdie
The Lies We Tell Ourselves – Alec & Reece
All The Wasted Time – Wyatt & Scarlett
We Were Lost – Zac & Chloe
OTHER STANDALONE NOVELS:
Not My Hero - Dark YA Romance
She writes emotional heart-shattering stories with a whole lot of Mafia & Romance that will leave you smiling with satisfaction. Every book has an unexpected twist that will show the strength of the characters.
Before becoming an author, Michelle had a career in banking. She lives in South Africa with her son, Sheldon, who's also her right-hand man when it comes to all things publishing, and her daughter-in-law, Tayla, who's her best friend.
Reading Order on AMAZON
STANDALONE NOVELS:
***Mafia & Bratva Romance (in order)***
THE SAINTS SERIES:
Merciless Saints - Damien Vetrov
Cruel Saints - Lucian Cotroni
Ruthless Saints - Carson Koslov
Tears of Betrayal - Demitri Vetrov
Tears of Salvation - Alexei Koslov
THE SINNERS SERIES:
Taken By A Sinner - Nikolas Stathoulis
Owned By A Sinner - Liam Byrne
Stolen By A Sinner - Gabriel Demir
Chosen By A Sinner - Luca Cotroni
Captured By A Sinner - Viktor Vetrov
THE CORRUPTED ROYALS SERIES:
Destroy Me - Misha Petrov
Control Me - Nikolai Vetrov
Brutalize Me - Armani De Santis
Restrain Me - Maxim Levin
Possess Me - Alek Aslanhov
SERIES (In Order):
ENEMIES TO LOVERS SERIES:
***College & New Adult Romance***
Heartless - Carter & Della
Reckless - Logan & Mia
Careless - Jaxson & Leigh
Ruthless - Marcus & Willow
Shameless - Rhett & Evie
TRINITY ACADEMY SERIES:
***College Romance***
Falcon - Falcon & Layla
Mason - Mason & Kingsley
Lake - Lake & Lee
Julian - Julian & Jamie
The Epilogue
THE HEIRS:
***College & New Adult Romance***
Coldhearted Heir - Hunter & Jade
Arrogant Heir - Jase & Mila
Defiant Heir - Kao & Fallon
Loyal Heir - Forest & Aria
Callous Heir - Noah & Carla
Sinful Heir - Tristan & Hana
Tempted Heir - Christopher & Dash
Forbidden Heir - Ryker & Danny
SOUTHERN HEROES SERIES:
***Suspense Romance***
The Ocean Between Us – Aiden & Emma
The Girl In The Closet – Cole & Birdie
The Lies We Tell Ourselves – Alec & Reece
All The Wasted Time – Wyatt & Scarlett
We Were Lost – Zac & Chloe
OTHER STANDALONE NOVELS:
Not My Hero - Dark YA Romance
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July 5, 2025(Spoilers below...)
It was heavy, and what Ciara went through was hard to get through. I've already skipped the first six chapters, which detail her time of captivity. But the rest of the book was more than enough to paint some picture of what she went through, and man, do they almost give me a panic attack.
Anyway, I think the book could've been longer to show how Ciara slowly regained her strength and rebuilt her life after such a traumatic experience. I don't think one month was all she needed to get her bearings, but then again this is fiction, so maybe that's why. Still, I think a semblance of reality with such themes would make things a whole lot better.
It was insta-love on Santiago's side since he's been looking for his mystery woman for more than a year, and apparently one look at Ciara and he knew she was it. I do agree with some reviews saying that Ciara just went from one controlling man to another; only this time Santiago wants the best for her, and she's attracted to him. But yeah, I kinda wish she'd learn to stand on her own for a bit before she decided to be with him. He said he'll wait for her anyway, so why not take all the time in the world to get herself better? But what do I know? I'm just a reader.
Anyhoo, it was okay, but I didn't know what to rate it so I'm gonna leave it blank. Despite the heavy themes, I did enjoy it. But it would've been better, imo, if it was a bit longer and Ciara's healing was explored in more depth. Also, an epilogue would've been nice too, to see them years down the line and the progress they made.
Book info:
- Captivity
- SA (on page, I skipped it tho)
- Insta-love
- PTSD, Panic attacks
- Violence, gore, death, torture
- Age gap (13??)
- No cheating, OM/OW, separation
- V FMC 😒, Experienced H (no info on his past)
- HEA (weeks later?? married and pregnant)
It was heavy, and what Ciara went through was hard to get through. I've already skipped the first six chapters, which detail her time of captivity. But the rest of the book was more than enough to paint some picture of what she went through, and man, do they almost give me a panic attack.
Anyway, I think the book could've been longer to show how Ciara slowly regained her strength and rebuilt her life after such a traumatic experience. I don't think one month was all she needed to get her bearings, but then again this is fiction, so maybe that's why. Still, I think a semblance of reality with such themes would make things a whole lot better.
It was insta-love on Santiago's side since he's been looking for his mystery woman for more than a year, and apparently one look at Ciara and he knew she was it. I do agree with some reviews saying that Ciara just went from one controlling man to another; only this time Santiago wants the best for her, and she's attracted to him. But yeah, I kinda wish she'd learn to stand on her own for a bit before she decided to be with him. He said he'll wait for her anyway, so why not take all the time in the world to get herself better? But what do I know? I'm just a reader.
Anyhoo, it was okay, but I didn't know what to rate it so I'm gonna leave it blank. Despite the heavy themes, I did enjoy it. But it would've been better, imo, if it was a bit longer and Ciara's healing was explored in more depth. Also, an epilogue would've been nice too, to see them years down the line and the progress they made.
Book info:
- Captivity
- SA (on page, I skipped it tho)
- Insta-love
- PTSD, Panic attacks
- Violence, gore, death, torture
- Age gap (13??)
- No cheating, OM/OW, separation
- V FMC 😒, Experienced H (no info on his past)
- HEA (weeks later?? married and pregnant)
July 4, 2025
Santiago’s book is the only thing keeping me going. I need my taro card, looking for love, savior of so many people man RIGHT NOW
★★★★★. Some spoilers below!!!!
I knew Santiago’s book would deliver and my god did it ever. This man, oh my, THIS MAN. He is EVERYTHING. The attentiveness and the love he has for the fmc was unmatched. Him making the people he kills pick a tarot card and that’s how they die…so hot. Him transferring 1.5 million to Ciara…sexy. Him buying her diamonds on diamonds…stunning. Him being a top yearner, giver, lover, best dressed man….S E X Y!
The fmc being the sister of the fmc in book one had me GASPING. I hated this girl so much in book one for her “selfish” ways and to find out everything wasn’t as it seems had me SOBBING. I actually give so much credit to Michelle for this plot twist because I didn’t see it from a mile away. I loved how she wrote the healing for Ciara, however I do wish we got some therapy or something more. I know it was coming, but wish we got a scene. All the scenes with Grace had me absolutely crying.
I’m excited for the next one, yet scared because we know absolutely nothing.
For my safety people; completely safe. Santiago is a lover boy, not a virgin. Been celibate I believe for a long long time trying to find his true love. Ciara is a virgin. There is OM drama in the sense of her kidnapper, but Santiago handles him and he doesn’t create issues for the couple.
★★★★★. Some spoilers below!!!!
I knew Santiago’s book would deliver and my god did it ever. This man, oh my, THIS MAN. He is EVERYTHING. The attentiveness and the love he has for the fmc was unmatched. Him making the people he kills pick a tarot card and that’s how they die…so hot. Him transferring 1.5 million to Ciara…sexy. Him buying her diamonds on diamonds…stunning. Him being a top yearner, giver, lover, best dressed man….S E X Y!
The fmc being the sister of the fmc in book one had me GASPING. I hated this girl so much in book one for her “selfish” ways and to find out everything wasn’t as it seems had me SOBBING. I actually give so much credit to Michelle for this plot twist because I didn’t see it from a mile away. I loved how she wrote the healing for Ciara, however I do wish we got some therapy or something more. I know it was coming, but wish we got a scene. All the scenes with Grace had me absolutely crying.
I’m excited for the next one, yet scared because we know absolutely nothing.
For my safety people; completely safe. Santiago is a lover boy, not a virgin. Been celibate I believe for a long long time trying to find his true love. Ciara is a virgin. There is OM drama in the sense of her kidnapper, but Santiago handles him and he doesn’t create issues for the couple.
July 2, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (ARC review)
''I'll find you in the afterlife''
Safety warnings:
- H 39 / h 26
- No cheating
- No OW/OM drama
- Kidnapping/Captivity
- S*xual assault/Physical assault
- Panic attacks/PTSD
- Loss of loved ones
- Violence/d*ath
- Torture
- HEA
I'll be the first one to admit that back in book 1 when we met Ciara and her actions towards her sister Grace later were annoying to me and I was not her biggest fan but reading this book and realizing that all of it was false and she was being held captive during the entire time, makes me completely change my view of book 1.
Reading about her struggles, what she was forced to go through was appalling and sick. All you can feel is her pain bleeding through the pages with every second she spends with her kidnapper.
On the other side of the coin Santiago is desperate to find the one. His whole life has been dedicated to saving people and giving them a second chance and a safe place to live.
When Ciara gets the chance to free herself she takes it and runs right into Santiago and from there the journey of her healing, of him becoming her safe haven takes ahold. You see his patience with her, the amount of love and care he pours to making sure she will heal from what she went through.
Grace and Ciara's reunion will make you shed a few tears. It made me a bit mad that Grace never even once looked for her sister even when she was ''living her life'' according to her texts etc. I wish she had tried harder; it would have worked better and been more in line with her character development (they could have looked but never found any info etc.).
This is a slow burn, but it makes a lot of sense and totally worth the wait. Ciara's soul and light did not break by the events and Santiago will forever make sure she is loved and protected.
''I'll find you in the afterlife''
Safety warnings:
- H 39 / h 26
- No cheating
- No OW/OM drama
- Kidnapping/Captivity
- S*xual assault/Physical assault
- Panic attacks/PTSD
- Loss of loved ones
- Violence/d*ath
- Torture
- HEA
I'll be the first one to admit that back in book 1 when we met Ciara and her actions towards her sister Grace later were annoying to me and I was not her biggest fan but reading this book and realizing that all of it was false and she was being held captive during the entire time, makes me completely change my view of book 1.
Reading about her struggles, what she was forced to go through was appalling and sick. All you can feel is her pain bleeding through the pages with every second she spends with her kidnapper.
On the other side of the coin Santiago is desperate to find the one. His whole life has been dedicated to saving people and giving them a second chance and a safe place to live.
When Ciara gets the chance to free herself she takes it and runs right into Santiago and from there the journey of her healing, of him becoming her safe haven takes ahold. You see his patience with her, the amount of love and care he pours to making sure she will heal from what she went through.
Grace and Ciara's reunion will make you shed a few tears. It made me a bit mad that Grace never even once looked for her sister even when she was ''living her life'' according to her texts etc. I wish she had tried harder; it would have worked better and been more in line with her character development (they could have looked but never found any info etc.).
This is a slow burn, but it makes a lot of sense and totally worth the wait. Ciara's soul and light did not break by the events and Santiago will forever make sure she is loved and protected.
July 3, 2025
4.5, I lost my sleep because I couldn’t stop reading 🌟 .
Santiago was one of my fav hero.
Recommended.
KU and TW.
Santiago was one of my fav hero.
Recommended.
KU and TW.
July 6, 2025
Algo no me termina de cuadrar, esperaba un poco más 🤔
December 4, 2025
I have to start this off by saying that while I devoured this book, I didn’t love it. Ciara went through something so horrific, but still never gave up and managed to get out of there. And Santiago, the patience he showed and his understanding was just perfect through it all.
What I don’t particularly agree and the reason I’m knocking off stars is because I wanted Ciara to be angry that Grace never even bothered to look for her. How could Grace be satisfied with some mediocre texts months in between? How could she not bother to at least look for her to know that she was alright? Grace could’ve just have Dominik look for her to confirm she was fine and to have some peace of mind.
I wanted Ciara to confront Grace about this, to be angry, to ask why she didn’t even try to look for her, why she could conform with some excuse that she texted.
My other point is, I would’ve preferred for Ciara to actually live alone. Or maybe with a group of women who could help her and not Santiago. Because with Santiago, it was basically the same as with Nolan (as she mentions several times, just that with Santiago she was obviously attracted to him and he also acted different) but she ends up depending on him. I wanted her to get out of that cycle and do everything herself without Santiago there.
Also, have to mention that the pregnancy at the end was highly highly highly unnecessary. She was barely coming to terms on how to take care of herself and her life with Santiago and now you add a baby on the way? Hell no. They should have some more time for themselves before going and adding a baby to the mix.
What I don’t particularly agree and the reason I’m knocking off stars is because I wanted Ciara to be angry that Grace never even bothered to look for her. How could Grace be satisfied with some mediocre texts months in between? How could she not bother to at least look for her to know that she was alright? Grace could’ve just have Dominik look for her to confirm she was fine and to have some peace of mind.
I wanted Ciara to confront Grace about this, to be angry, to ask why she didn’t even try to look for her, why she could conform with some excuse that she texted.
My other point is, I would’ve preferred for Ciara to actually live alone. Or maybe with a group of women who could help her and not Santiago. Because with Santiago, it was basically the same as with Nolan (as she mentions several times, just that with Santiago she was obviously attracted to him and he also acted different) but she ends up depending on him. I wanted her to get out of that cycle and do everything herself without Santiago there.
Also, have to mention that the pregnancy at the end was highly highly highly unnecessary. She was barely coming to terms on how to take care of herself and her life with Santiago and now you add a baby on the way? Hell no. They should have some more time for themselves before going and adding a baby to the mix.
July 9, 2025
I was ehh oh this book at first because it was the sisters book and in book 1 I was a little annoyed with how she treated her sister who did everything for her. Well I was wrong Ciara was kidnapped and forced to say those things to make sure the sister didn’t follow her. So for months she was abused, sexually assaulted she was getting to be a shell of herself until one day she had a chance to run and into the arms of Santiago who was there for work. He saved her and brought her to his island to help heal her. He also knew she was the one that he was suppose to meet and marry in the cards. His sun.
Santiago was everything in a man he was patient caring making sure she was okay. He even stayed next to her when she felt more safe in a trunk. And Santiago’s past he was abused and he had a horrible life but he turned that around and made a name for himself and the ppls he would save. Everyday is a challenge but Ciara slowly trusts him. She’s learning how to do things by herself. She’s still afraid of men and ppls. Ciara knows Santiago is different. She reunites with her sister and it does take her a moment to fully trust her.
We get to see the bad guy get his with how Santiago torturing him hehe it was so good. I felt this book had less of the group beside MMC from book 1 due to the sister. We saw Santiago men more.
Low angst, no ow/tiny om drama, no cheating, secondary character, drama, sexy times, virgin gal no manwhore
Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶️.5
Slow burn
Age gap
39H/26h
Praise kink
Violence
Detailed torture
Masturbation (not the mains)
Punishments (not MMC)
Massacre of a family mentioned on page
Sexual assault
Mental and physical abuse
Panic attacks
PTSD
No condom
Hea
Santiago was everything in a man he was patient caring making sure she was okay. He even stayed next to her when she felt more safe in a trunk. And Santiago’s past he was abused and he had a horrible life but he turned that around and made a name for himself and the ppls he would save. Everyday is a challenge but Ciara slowly trusts him. She’s learning how to do things by herself. She’s still afraid of men and ppls. Ciara knows Santiago is different. She reunites with her sister and it does take her a moment to fully trust her.
We get to see the bad guy get his with how Santiago torturing him hehe it was so good. I felt this book had less of the group beside MMC from book 1 due to the sister. We saw Santiago men more.
Low angst, no ow/tiny om drama, no cheating, secondary character, drama, sexy times, virgin gal no manwhore
Recommend-yes
Cover-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Heat level-🌶️.5
Slow burn
Age gap
39H/26h
Praise kink
Violence
Detailed torture
Masturbation (not the mains)
Punishments (not MMC)
Massacre of a family mentioned on page
Sexual assault
Mental and physical abuse
Panic attacks
PTSD
No condom
Hea
June 29, 2025
ARC REVIEW 🩷💕✨!!
instagram review
Is there anything Michelle doesn't do well?
Honestly, I'm starting to doubt it. Like… will there ever be a day when I read one of her books and don’t love it? I hope not—because so far, every single one has been beautiful, powerful, and absolutely delicious. With strong, unforgettable men. Always.
Now, this book? Whew.
To everyone waiting for it: this is not an easy read. Not because of the writing—Michelle’s writing is flawless—but because of the emotions. She has this way of reaching deep inside your heart and just… tearing it open in the most poetic way.
You feel everything.
You connect. You empathize. And that’s what makes it so intense. So real.
I started reading it around 7 AM. Took a break for work, of course, but then went right back and read it in practically one sitting. It took me about 16 hours, and it was a ride.
Ciara? I just want to hug her. She’s such a beautiful soul, and her journey touched me deeply.
And Santiago… wow. He’s this intuitive, decisive man who believes in the stars, tarot cards, signs, the universe—he’s quirky and spiritual and just so interesting. He made me smile more than once.
This book is officially part of my top 5 Michelle reads.
Huge thanks to Michelle’s PR team for the chance to read it in advance—I'm so grateful.
And if you're still reading this review, thank you too.
I already know who’s coming next… and trust me, I’ll be waiting.
instagram review
Is there anything Michelle doesn't do well?
Honestly, I'm starting to doubt it. Like… will there ever be a day when I read one of her books and don’t love it? I hope not—because so far, every single one has been beautiful, powerful, and absolutely delicious. With strong, unforgettable men. Always.
Now, this book? Whew.
To everyone waiting for it: this is not an easy read. Not because of the writing—Michelle’s writing is flawless—but because of the emotions. She has this way of reaching deep inside your heart and just… tearing it open in the most poetic way.
You feel everything.
You connect. You empathize. And that’s what makes it so intense. So real.
I started reading it around 7 AM. Took a break for work, of course, but then went right back and read it in practically one sitting. It took me about 16 hours, and it was a ride.
Ciara? I just want to hug her. She’s such a beautiful soul, and her journey touched me deeply.
And Santiago… wow. He’s this intuitive, decisive man who believes in the stars, tarot cards, signs, the universe—he’s quirky and spiritual and just so interesting. He made me smile more than once.
This book is officially part of my top 5 Michelle reads.
Huge thanks to Michelle’s PR team for the chance to read it in advance—I'm so grateful.
And if you're still reading this review, thank you too.
I already know who’s coming next… and trust me, I’ll be waiting.
December 11, 2025
»I'm the first man you kissed. It's the only thing that matters, mi sol.«
★ ★ ★ ★
❥ 𝑪𝒊𝒂𝒓𝒂 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
She is cute, caring and suffered too much. Ciara is a sweet woman and only deserves the best.
❥ 𝑺𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒈𝒐 ⋆✮
He is a dark golden retriever and does everything to keep Ciara safe. He is funny, dangerous and obsessed with his woman.
✥ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
Michelle Heard can‘t write bad books. She always knows what the readers want and I adore each of her mafia books.
This one was so much fun although very dark and the abuse of Ciara is on page (so please be aware before reading that it could trigger you). I felt so bad for her and it was hard to read. Gladly she could escape and ran into Santiago who helps her rebuild her life. It was heartwarming to read how deep he cared about her. BUT I don‘t like this whole „she has trauma, he helps her and they fall in love while doing so“ especially when the trauma is as big as Ciaras. It wasn‘t relatable that they fell in love and I don‘t like the fact that Santiago sometime was a little pushy. Still I loved both of them and at the end of the day it‘s just a book that should entertain you as a reader. And I was definitely entertained!
I read the whole book in one sitting and although it is not my favorite book by this author I enjoyed it and I‘m looking forward to her next release.
𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?
Yes! But don‘t expect a relatable love story.
𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝟓 ׂㅤ𐙚 ࣪ ⭒
plot: 4/5
spice: 2/5
humor: 3/5
couple/tension: 4/5
world building: 5/5
happy end?: yes
𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 ᡣ𐭩ྀི₊ ⊹
possessive and protective hero, touch her and die, dark golden retriever mmc, trauma, grief and healing, slow burn, mafia, found family, kidnapping, forced proximity, he falls first and harder, age gap
𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲
ages: Ciara (26) and Santiago (39)
cheating: no
sharing: no
kinks: no
𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
#1 The Hermit ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#2 The High Priestess ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#3 Death ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#4 The Empress ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#5 The Devil ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
★ ★ ★ ★
❥ 𝑪𝒊𝒂𝒓𝒂 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
She is cute, caring and suffered too much. Ciara is a sweet woman and only deserves the best.
❥ 𝑺𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒂𝒈𝒐 ⋆✮
He is a dark golden retriever and does everything to keep Ciara safe. He is funny, dangerous and obsessed with his woman.
✥ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
Michelle Heard can‘t write bad books. She always knows what the readers want and I adore each of her mafia books.
This one was so much fun although very dark and the abuse of Ciara is on page (so please be aware before reading that it could trigger you). I felt so bad for her and it was hard to read. Gladly she could escape and ran into Santiago who helps her rebuild her life. It was heartwarming to read how deep he cared about her. BUT I don‘t like this whole „she has trauma, he helps her and they fall in love while doing so“ especially when the trauma is as big as Ciaras. It wasn‘t relatable that they fell in love and I don‘t like the fact that Santiago sometime was a little pushy. Still I loved both of them and at the end of the day it‘s just a book that should entertain you as a reader. And I was definitely entertained!
I read the whole book in one sitting and although it is not my favorite book by this author I enjoyed it and I‘m looking forward to her next release.
𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?
Yes! But don‘t expect a relatable love story.
𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝟓 ׂㅤ𐙚 ࣪ ⭒
plot: 4/5
spice: 2/5
humor: 3/5
couple/tension: 4/5
world building: 5/5
happy end?: yes
𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 ᡣ𐭩ྀི₊ ⊹
possessive and protective hero, touch her and die, dark golden retriever mmc, trauma, grief and healing, slow burn, mafia, found family, kidnapping, forced proximity, he falls first and harder, age gap
𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲
ages: Ciara (26) and Santiago (39)
cheating: no
sharing: no
kinks: no
𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬
#1 The Hermit ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#2 The High Priestess ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#3 Death ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#4 The Empress ★ ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
#5 The Devil ★ ★ ★
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
July 5, 2025
3.5 🌟
Después de mucho sin leer por fin regrese ✨
La vida de Ciara es un poco protegida, su hermana la ha cuidado toda la vida y no permite que nadie le haga nada pero todo cambia cuando es raptada y obliga a vivir algo que la marcará, ella piensa que nunca podrá salir de ahí hasta que llega Santiago un hombre que la ha estado buscando y está preparado para ayudarla en su sanación.
Me emocionaba mucho la historia de Santiago y aunque Ciara en el primer libro no me encanta quería leer su historia y más sabiendo dónde estaba 💔
Estuvo muy entretenido, me gustó bastante como Santiago le ayuda a sanar, la paciencia y el espacio que le proporciono a Ciara 🥹 su camino fue difícil ya que pasa de estar protegida a estar secuestrada y fue horrible lo que le tocó vivir, se nota cuando empieza su sanación todo lo que le afecto el secuestró.
Hubo algunas situaciones que se me hicieron algo exageradas y aunque está serie de la autora me está gustando sigo sin conectar bien con su instalove 😞 pero eso ya es personal.
Después de mucho sin leer por fin regrese ✨
La vida de Ciara es un poco protegida, su hermana la ha cuidado toda la vida y no permite que nadie le haga nada pero todo cambia cuando es raptada y obliga a vivir algo que la marcará, ella piensa que nunca podrá salir de ahí hasta que llega Santiago un hombre que la ha estado buscando y está preparado para ayudarla en su sanación.
Me emocionaba mucho la historia de Santiago y aunque Ciara en el primer libro no me encanta quería leer su historia y más sabiendo dónde estaba 💔
Estuvo muy entretenido, me gustó bastante como Santiago le ayuda a sanar, la paciencia y el espacio que le proporciono a Ciara 🥹 su camino fue difícil ya que pasa de estar protegida a estar secuestrada y fue horrible lo que le tocó vivir, se nota cuando empieza su sanación todo lo que le afecto el secuestró.
Hubo algunas situaciones que se me hicieron algo exageradas y aunque está serie de la autora me está gustando sigo sin conectar bien con su instalove 😞 pero eso ya es personal.
July 4, 2025
I love this series with my whole chest.
There’s just something about it.
I feel like this series is one of Michelle’s darkest and so were the themes in this book.
Ciara our FMC is forced from her home by an absolute psycho guard gone rouge. And nobody knows she’s missing as he’s been making her contact her sister so that she doesn’t get suspicious. All the while Ciara is going through literal hell.
Many months later she has an opportunity to escape and takes it….this is where we meet Santiago.
The way this man helped her through her trauma had me constantly wiping away tears.
As usual I finish the books in a matter of hours and wish I could read them again for the first time 😩
4.5 ⭐️ 2.5🌶️
There’s just something about it.
I feel like this series is one of Michelle’s darkest and so were the themes in this book.
Ciara our FMC is forced from her home by an absolute psycho guard gone rouge. And nobody knows she’s missing as he’s been making her contact her sister so that she doesn’t get suspicious. All the while Ciara is going through literal hell.
Many months later she has an opportunity to escape and takes it….this is where we meet Santiago.
The way this man helped her through her trauma had me constantly wiping away tears.
As usual I finish the books in a matter of hours and wish I could read them again for the first time 😩
4.5 ⭐️ 2.5🌶️
July 1, 2025
Let’s try not to judge the book too harshly as it’s less than 300 pages, which is quite short to deal with SA trauma.
What we have here is a massive case of Nightingale Syndrome.
Ciara basically went from one obsessed man to another, the only difference is that Santiago is hot 🤣
Would it be bad of me to say Santiago was a bit too perfect??
I mean the guy babysitting other people baby?
In the middle of an extraction mission he just enjoyed the view of the countryside!!
Not really convinced by the nose piercing and tattoos of his family faces must be a massive turn off…if I may say so myself.
As per the previous books, it started strong with a very emotional ordeal for Ciara but 25% into the book she was rescued by Santiago…
I loved the rescue by the way ❤️
When she actually stayed 9 months with Nolan, she was feeling better after a month under Santiago’s care!
Now, I am not saying she should have suffered more 😅 but I feel more challenges along the way would have been nice, but again, short book.
Not sure you can heal trauma with diamonds but we appreciate the effort Santiago 😜
I couldn’t help comparing Nolan’s and Santiago’s actions… They were both basically telling her what to do, forcing her into their home and didn’t want to let her go….One used harsh methods and violence the other was just hot.
Also, Ciara didn’t want to get better for herself but to fit into Santiago’s world… she basically never had time for herself.
So yes it won’t be my fav Michelle Heard’s book and God knows we have been waiting for Santiago’s story… It just fell flat after the rescue mission.
1/5 🌶️
Virgin heroine
Touch her and ☠️
No cheating/OW drama 100% safe
What we have here is a massive case of Nightingale Syndrome.
Ciara basically went from one obsessed man to another, the only difference is that Santiago is hot 🤣
Would it be bad of me to say Santiago was a bit too perfect??
I mean the guy babysitting other people baby?
In the middle of an extraction mission he just enjoyed the view of the countryside!!
Not really convinced by the nose piercing and tattoos of his family faces must be a massive turn off…if I may say so myself.
As per the previous books, it started strong with a very emotional ordeal for Ciara but 25% into the book she was rescued by Santiago…
I loved the rescue by the way ❤️
When she actually stayed 9 months with Nolan, she was feeling better after a month under Santiago’s care!
Now, I am not saying she should have suffered more 😅 but I feel more challenges along the way would have been nice, but again, short book.
Not sure you can heal trauma with diamonds but we appreciate the effort Santiago 😜
I couldn’t help comparing Nolan’s and Santiago’s actions… They were both basically telling her what to do, forcing her into their home and didn’t want to let her go….One used harsh methods and violence the other was just hot.
Also, Ciara didn’t want to get better for herself but to fit into Santiago’s world… she basically never had time for herself.
So yes it won’t be my fav Michelle Heard’s book and God knows we have been waiting for Santiago’s story… It just fell flat after the rescue mission.
1/5 🌶️
Virgin heroine
Touch her and ☠️
No cheating/OW drama 100% safe
July 20, 2025
Epilogue??
This series needs epilogues or bonus epilogues. Maybe I’m in the minority here but I need to know what happens next. It’s the end and that’s it. I’ve read every book in this series and I’m disappointed at the end.
This series needs epilogues or bonus epilogues. Maybe I’m in the minority here but I need to know what happens next. It’s the end and that’s it. I’ve read every book in this series and I’m disappointed at the end.
September 19, 2025
Ну що ж - це було в стилі Мішель Херд🔥 Легко і цікаво написаний сюжет і крута любовна лінія🥹 (маленький спойлер, не дивлячись на велику кількість прочитаного - у цій книзі мене авторка змогла здивувати, а саме я не очікувала таких подій і те що трапилось з головною героїнею)🫣
Сантьяго Кастро — 39 років, надає послуги евакуації та створення нової особистості.
Сіара Девлін — 26 років, молодша дочка ірландського торговця зброєю.
У першій книзі з серії, ми дізналися що Сіара втекла - щоб не виходити заміж за Домініка. І в мене питання до самої себе чому я легко так в це повірила, знаючи що Грейс все життя захищала та оберігала Сіару. Тому що, вона була дуже ніжна, добра і чуйна - тобто не мала цього сильного стержня в характері. І тут виявляється, що вона пішла не по своїй волі - а її змусили (викрали). Так вона була змушена провести 9 місяців у пеклі, де терпіла не тільки фізичні побої а і моральні, психологічні та сексуальні знущання. Але одного дня їй все ж вдалося втекти і потрапити в руки саме до Сантьяго, який шукав її так довго…
Сантьяго на перший погляд може здатися веселим та безтурботним чоловіком, але те що він приховує за маскою - це біль від втрати всієї сімʼї, яку безжально вирізав картель. І тепер його покликання знищити будь який картель на його шляху та надати прихисток всім його жертвам. У нього збудоване ціле містечко де проживає приблизно 160 врятованих людей. Також він надає послуги евакуації та створення нової особистості людям, які готові за це заплатити. І звісно ж в нього є жорсткіша сторона - це власна колода карт таро яка допомагає йому визначити у який спосіб помре винна людина. (Ідея з колодою карт мені дуже сподобалася, це щось нове та незвичне🔥)
Любовна лінія тут дуже повільно розвивається, і це зрозуміло чому — Сіара мусила спочатку відновитися у психологічному та фізичному стані, перш ніж вступати в якійсь романтичні стосунки. Сантьяго в свою чергу зробив для неї все, що від нього залежало: надав безпечне житло, психологічну підтримку фахівця та моральну підтримку зі свого боку. Це було повільне зцілення і поступове відчуття закоханості. Їхні стосунки мені дуже сподобались😍
Загалом книга дуже цікава, читається на одному подиху як і більшість книг Мішель Херд. Але в цій книзі не чекайте атмосфери мафії, тут як на мене більший акцент на розвиток стосунків і звісно зцілення психологічного здоровʼя після викрадення.
Моя оцінка 4/5 ⭐️
Сантьяго Кастро — 39 років, надає послуги евакуації та створення нової особистості.
Сіара Девлін — 26 років, молодша дочка ірландського торговця зброєю.
У першій книзі з серії, ми дізналися що Сіара втекла - щоб не виходити заміж за Домініка. І в мене питання до самої себе чому я легко так в це повірила, знаючи що Грейс все життя захищала та оберігала Сіару. Тому що, вона була дуже ніжна, добра і чуйна - тобто не мала цього сильного стержня в характері. І тут виявляється, що вона пішла не по своїй волі - а її змусили (викрали). Так вона була змушена провести 9 місяців у пеклі, де терпіла не тільки фізичні побої а і моральні, психологічні та сексуальні знущання. Але одного дня їй все ж вдалося втекти і потрапити в руки саме до Сантьяго, який шукав її так довго…
Сантьяго на перший погляд може здатися веселим та безтурботним чоловіком, але те що він приховує за маскою - це біль від втрати всієї сімʼї, яку безжально вирізав картель. І тепер його покликання знищити будь який картель на його шляху та надати прихисток всім його жертвам. У нього збудоване ціле містечко де проживає приблизно 160 врятованих людей. Також він надає послуги евакуації та створення нової особистості людям, які готові за це заплатити. І звісно ж в нього є жорсткіша сторона - це власна колода карт таро яка допомагає йому визначити у який спосіб помре винна людина. (Ідея з колодою карт мені дуже сподобалася, це щось нове та незвичне🔥)
Любовна лінія тут дуже повільно розвивається, і це зрозуміло чому — Сіара мусила спочатку відновитися у психологічному та фізичному стані, перш ніж вступати в якійсь романтичні стосунки. Сантьяго в свою чергу зробив для неї все, що від нього залежало: надав безпечне житло, психологічну підтримку фахівця та моральну підтримку зі свого боку. Це було повільне зцілення і поступове відчуття закоханості. Їхні стосунки мені дуже сподобались😍
Загалом книга дуже цікава, читається на одному подиху як і більшість книг Мішель Херд. Але в цій книзі не чекайте атмосфери мафії, тут як на мене більший акцент на розвиток стосунків і звісно зцілення психологічного здоровʼя після викрадення.
Моя оцінка 4/5 ⭐️
July 4, 2025
Death is exactly what i craved reading this.
Take your sleeping pills or read this book, either way you'll end up sleeping.
Take your sleeping pills or read this book, either way you'll end up sleeping.
July 3, 2025
Michelle Heard is that you?
Santiago; herkesin hayatta bir şansı olduğuna inanan, kişiler hakkında karar vermeden önce herkese bir Tarot kartı seçtiren, ortamı aniden fantastik kitap mı okuyorum hissiyatı ile dolduran karakter! Çok merak ettirdin ama bu artık hiç sekmiyor ya hangi karakteri serinin farklı kitaplarında merak etsem kendi kitaplarında fos çıkıyorlar, artık beklentileri bu kadar yüksek tutmamak mı lazımdır nedir.
Ciara; ilk kitaptaki kadın karakterimiz Grace' in kardeşi. Tek suçu varolmak. Başka da bir olayı yok zaten.
Bence artık yazar sıkılmış, yazmış olmak için yazıyor; bu aceleciğin başka bir açıklaması olamaz, her şey o kadar ışık hızında ki, ayrıca koskoca dünyada o nasıl bir denk gelmedir. Biz randevulaşsak denk gelemiyoruz.
Sen ki aynı tarz konuda Craving Danger' i yazmış kadınsın hiç yakıştıramadım.
Bir sonraki kitabı merak etmeyerek şoklardan şoklara koşuyorum. Seni Craving Danger ile hatırlayacağım.
Hoşçakal 😢😢😢😢
Santiago; herkesin hayatta bir şansı olduğuna inanan, kişiler hakkında karar vermeden önce herkese bir Tarot kartı seçtiren, ortamı aniden fantastik kitap mı okuyorum hissiyatı ile dolduran karakter! Çok merak ettirdin ama bu artık hiç sekmiyor ya hangi karakteri serinin farklı kitaplarında merak etsem kendi kitaplarında fos çıkıyorlar, artık beklentileri bu kadar yüksek tutmamak mı lazımdır nedir.
Ciara; ilk kitaptaki kadın karakterimiz Grace' in kardeşi. Tek suçu varolmak. Başka da bir olayı yok zaten.
Bence artık yazar sıkılmış, yazmış olmak için yazıyor; bu aceleciğin başka bir açıklaması olamaz, her şey o kadar ışık hızında ki, ayrıca koskoca dünyada o nasıl bir denk gelmedir. Biz randevulaşsak denk gelemiyoruz.
Sen ki aynı tarz konuda Craving Danger' i yazmış kadınsın hiç yakıştıramadım.
Bir sonraki kitabı merak etmeyerek şoklardan şoklara koşuyorum. Seni Craving Danger ile hatırlayacağım.
Hoşçakal 😢😢😢😢
July 1, 2025
4.5 stars
July 2, 2025
"Por toda una vida conociéndonos y envejeciendo juntos. Ya sea como amigos o como amantes, soy el hombre más afortunado del mundo por tenerte en mi vida"
Tenía muchas expectativas con Santiago y las cumplió todas ♥️😭. Estuve sensible todo el libro por la historia en general y fue triste leer las cosas por las que pasó Ciara.
¿Entienden que el compró un anillo para el amor de su vida porque una adivina le dijo que estaba cerca de encontrarla? Es tan romántico y lindo.
Fue muy triste el comienzo del libro y muy duro de leer todo por lo que pasó Ciara en manos de un enfermo 💔, lo que le hicieron pasar fue algo horrible y era triste leer las humillaciónes y abusos que vivió, abusos que fueron tan fuertes que llegó al punto de tener momentos en blanco en los que su cuerpo apagaba sus sentimientos para poder sobrevivir 😭
Santiago fue muy amable y empático con ella desde el primer momento, siempre le dió su espacio y quiso que ella mejorara para volver a ser una mujer independiente que pudiera volver a vivir siendo dueña de su cuerpo y decisiones, fue muy duro el proceso de recuperación que tuvo Ciara y el siempre estuvo a su lado tomando su mano con palabras de amor y aliento, sin hacerla sentir mal por los traumas que pasó y sus comportamientos erráticos y dependientes 🥺
El amor puede parecer rápido pero el llevaba tiempo esperando a su pequeño solo y ella necesitaba sanar y en el encontro el amor que buscaba, además el declaró que si ella no quería estar con el la iba a dejar ir porque quería lo mejor para su vida. Fue todo muy lindo y si bien no había mucha mafia y crímen hubo amor y superaciónes muuy lindas.
¡Ya quiero leer el próximo! ♥️
Tenía muchas expectativas con Santiago y las cumplió todas ♥️😭. Estuve sensible todo el libro por la historia en general y fue triste leer las cosas por las que pasó Ciara.
¿Entienden que el compró un anillo para el amor de su vida porque una adivina le dijo que estaba cerca de encontrarla? Es tan romántico y lindo.
Fue muy triste el comienzo del libro y muy duro de leer todo por lo que pasó Ciara en manos de un enfermo 💔, lo que le hicieron pasar fue algo horrible y era triste leer las humillaciónes y abusos que vivió, abusos que fueron tan fuertes que llegó al punto de tener momentos en blanco en los que su cuerpo apagaba sus sentimientos para poder sobrevivir 😭
Santiago fue muy amable y empático con ella desde el primer momento, siempre le dió su espacio y quiso que ella mejorara para volver a ser una mujer independiente que pudiera volver a vivir siendo dueña de su cuerpo y decisiones, fue muy duro el proceso de recuperación que tuvo Ciara y el siempre estuvo a su lado tomando su mano con palabras de amor y aliento, sin hacerla sentir mal por los traumas que pasó y sus comportamientos erráticos y dependientes 🥺
El amor puede parecer rápido pero el llevaba tiempo esperando a su pequeño solo y ella necesitaba sanar y en el encontro el amor que buscaba, además el declaró que si ella no quería estar con el la iba a dejar ir porque quería lo mejor para su vida. Fue todo muy lindo y si bien no había mucha mafia y crímen hubo amor y superaciónes muuy lindas.
¡Ya quiero leer el próximo! ♥️
July 2, 2025
Death by Michelle Heard
4,25/5⭐
1/5🌶️
I was looking forward to reading this book, and it didn’t disappoint! After finishing the first book, I started to sense that something was off with Ciara and her sudden disappearance. I couldn’t help but wonder why she would just run away and leave her sister behind. It felt like there was more to the story. I had my suspicion that Ciara might get her own book, but I had no idea she would end up being Santiago’s love interest. When the blurb for this one was released and confirmed my suspicions, I couldn’t contain my excitement!
This book feels lighter compared to Michelle's other works, steering away from the action and gritty mafia vibes to focus more on Ciara's healing journey. What Ciara endured over those nine months is heartbreaking, and the first few chapters were particularly tough to read. I felt so proud of her when she bravely escaped from her captor! Santiago is a ruthless character, but deep down, he has a big heart. He goes out of his way to help others recover, providing them with a safe place to live. He believes that his one true love is out there, and once he saved Ciara, he knew she was meant for him.
I loved how patient and gentle Santiago is with Ciara. He helps her heal and gives her the space she needs. At first, Ciara is understandably scared of him, but as she spends time with him, she realizes he’s a genuinely good guy. Their relationship unfolds as a slow burn, and though there aren't many steamy scenes, I enjoyed watching the beautiful way their bond developed throughout the book. The reunion scene between Ciara and her sister, Grace, was so touching—I was so happy for them! I also loved how Santiago made sure Ciara’s tormentor faced the consequences of his actions. It was incredibly satisfying! I can't wait to read Leo's book next!
4,25/5⭐
1/5🌶️
I was looking forward to reading this book, and it didn’t disappoint! After finishing the first book, I started to sense that something was off with Ciara and her sudden disappearance. I couldn’t help but wonder why she would just run away and leave her sister behind. It felt like there was more to the story. I had my suspicion that Ciara might get her own book, but I had no idea she would end up being Santiago’s love interest. When the blurb for this one was released and confirmed my suspicions, I couldn’t contain my excitement!
This book feels lighter compared to Michelle's other works, steering away from the action and gritty mafia vibes to focus more on Ciara's healing journey. What Ciara endured over those nine months is heartbreaking, and the first few chapters were particularly tough to read. I felt so proud of her when she bravely escaped from her captor! Santiago is a ruthless character, but deep down, he has a big heart. He goes out of his way to help others recover, providing them with a safe place to live. He believes that his one true love is out there, and once he saved Ciara, he knew she was meant for him.
I loved how patient and gentle Santiago is with Ciara. He helps her heal and gives her the space she needs. At first, Ciara is understandably scared of him, but as she spends time with him, she realizes he’s a genuinely good guy. Their relationship unfolds as a slow burn, and though there aren't many steamy scenes, I enjoyed watching the beautiful way their bond developed throughout the book. The reunion scene between Ciara and her sister, Grace, was so touching—I was so happy for them! I also loved how Santiago made sure Ciara’s tormentor faced the consequences of his actions. It was incredibly satisfying! I can't wait to read Leo's book next!
June 29, 2025
Santiago DELIVERED!!
The way I knew this man had 'obsession' in his veins from book 1. He was told, 'you'll find your woman', and he took that personally. Santiago was guided by his instincts and his belief that fate had his back. That, added with his tarot, made me love him immediately. This book showed how much of a great guy Santiago was. He was patient, devoted, careful, loving, and attentive. And that applied to EVERYONE he rescued, not only his sunshine. Michelle made him the kindest man to those who deserved it and the most ruthless to those who earned it. And his passion for Ciara was out the charts, he was so in love with her it was beautiful to read.
Ciara, I knew we were going to have a painful time with her from book 1. The way things played out with her in her sister's book didn't sit right with me, and her story was so painful. We saw her pain, but we also got to see her heal and become a better version of herself, safe and sound, away from her sheltered life. She's of course still beyond protected, but I think she deserves it. I loved seeing her change and grow to love and feel desire for Santiago.
I felt like Michelle did an incredible job at showing a survivor's story and on top of that, an incredible love story. I can't with for more of this series and whatever Michelle writes next, I'll be first in line!
Quotes:
I become aware of the fact that when I got scared, I ran to get to Santiago. Not the trunk.
I only want to feel safe, and right now, I actually do.
Suddenly, a smile flirts with the corner of her mouth, and I lose my ability to breathe.
Drinking in the most beautiful sight I've ever seen, I fall head over heels in love for the first time in my life.
"Your strength and how well you're doing amazes me," he whispers. "Fuck, I'm so proud of you, mi vida."
"Okay. From now on, I'll take care of you."
"No matter what you decide in the future, I'm yours, Ciara."
I don't feel so lost anymore because he is my home.
Who would've thought blue balls would take me out
at the age of thirty-eight?
"I choose Death."
Whether it's as friends or lovers, I'm the luckiest man alive to have you in my life.
Time falls away, and nothing matters but Santiago kissing me.
I fucking brand her with my tongue and teeth, and she lets me.
I lose track of time, just worshiping her mouth. She becomes my every heartbeat, the reason I breathe.
"I'm all yours, mi vida, you can do whatever you want to me whenever you want."
"In that case, ride me all you want, mi sol. Just know I'm not going to keep still."
"Being surrounded by all the dark shit I have to deal with and the broken people I try to help, you're the sunlight. You're the one thing I want for myself."
Body, heart, and soul. I exist for her.
"Your virginity looks good on me, mi amor."
Fuck that. There will be no sleeping done tonight. I'm going to fuck her until the sun rises.
"He loved me back to life when I was just an empty shell."
The way I knew this man had 'obsession' in his veins from book 1. He was told, 'you'll find your woman', and he took that personally. Santiago was guided by his instincts and his belief that fate had his back. That, added with his tarot, made me love him immediately. This book showed how much of a great guy Santiago was. He was patient, devoted, careful, loving, and attentive. And that applied to EVERYONE he rescued, not only his sunshine. Michelle made him the kindest man to those who deserved it and the most ruthless to those who earned it. And his passion for Ciara was out the charts, he was so in love with her it was beautiful to read.
Ciara, I knew we were going to have a painful time with her from book 1. The way things played out with her in her sister's book didn't sit right with me, and her story was so painful. We saw her pain, but we also got to see her heal and become a better version of herself, safe and sound, away from her sheltered life. She's of course still beyond protected, but I think she deserves it. I loved seeing her change and grow to love and feel desire for Santiago.
I felt like Michelle did an incredible job at showing a survivor's story and on top of that, an incredible love story. I can't with for more of this series and whatever Michelle writes next, I'll be first in line!
Quotes:
I become aware of the fact that when I got scared, I ran to get to Santiago. Not the trunk.
I only want to feel safe, and right now, I actually do.
Suddenly, a smile flirts with the corner of her mouth, and I lose my ability to breathe.
Drinking in the most beautiful sight I've ever seen, I fall head over heels in love for the first time in my life.
"Your strength and how well you're doing amazes me," he whispers. "Fuck, I'm so proud of you, mi vida."
"Okay. From now on, I'll take care of you."
"No matter what you decide in the future, I'm yours, Ciara."
I don't feel so lost anymore because he is my home.
Who would've thought blue balls would take me out
at the age of thirty-eight?
"I choose Death."
Whether it's as friends or lovers, I'm the luckiest man alive to have you in my life.
Time falls away, and nothing matters but Santiago kissing me.
I fucking brand her with my tongue and teeth, and she lets me.
I lose track of time, just worshiping her mouth. She becomes my every heartbeat, the reason I breathe.
"I'm all yours, mi vida, you can do whatever you want to me whenever you want."
"In that case, ride me all you want, mi sol. Just know I'm not going to keep still."
"Being surrounded by all the dark shit I have to deal with and the broken people I try to help, you're the sunlight. You're the one thing I want for myself."
Body, heart, and soul. I exist for her.
"Your virginity looks good on me, mi amor."
Fuck that. There will be no sleeping done tonight. I'm going to fuck her until the sun rises.
"He loved me back to life when I was just an empty shell."
November 13, 2025
Creo que ya puedo asegurar que Santiago va a ser mi favorito en esta serie. Ya me había caído genial en los otros libros, pero en este que es el suyo me robó el corazón desde el primer capitulo.
Fue todo un descubrimiento que al final la mujer que describió la del tarot que iba a encontrar fuera Ciara, la hermana de Grace. No me la vi venir, y conectando algunas cosas del primer libro con este, fue súper doloroso saber todo lo que esa pobre chica pasó, y como nadie se dio cuenta de que la habían secuestrador. Simplemente asumieron que se había escapado y ya.
Y que decirles, Santiago paseando por la villa con el bebe de una de las chicas rescatadas, solo para que pudieran descansar después de una noche de cólicos, hizo que mis ovarios explotaran JAJA
Fue todo un descubrimiento que al final la mujer que describió la del tarot que iba a encontrar fuera Ciara, la hermana de Grace. No me la vi venir, y conectando algunas cosas del primer libro con este, fue súper doloroso saber todo lo que esa pobre chica pasó, y como nadie se dio cuenta de que la habían secuestrador. Simplemente asumieron que se había escapado y ya.
Y que decirles, Santiago paseando por la villa con el bebe de una de las chicas rescatadas, solo para que pudieran descansar después de una noche de cólicos, hizo que mis ovarios explotaran JAJA
July 2, 2025
I've been waiting on Santiago's story since we met him in the first book, and it was even better than I could've expected. I couldn't put it down.
Santiago and Ciara's story was just a beautiful and emotional journey. This book had me criying, smiling and will stay with me for a long time.
Death is a story of survival, strength and love.
I can't wait to read Leo's book next!
Santiago and Ciara's story was just a beautiful and emotional journey. This book had me criying, smiling and will stay with me for a long time.
Death is a story of survival, strength and love.
I can't wait to read Leo's book next!
July 14, 2025
My Review (Quickie)
Death is the third book in the "Mafia Empire" series and in this one we have a very emotionally driven story and this is one of the most unique books from this author that I have ever read. I honestly didn't know how to handle this one at times, it really touches base on some difficult issues here. This features the sister of the heroine from the first book. She was kidnapped and tormented psychologically and so we see the effects of this when our hero, Santiago, finds her and she is the woman he has been dreaming of and destined to find. Santiago out of the five of the mafia empire group is the one that is the more playful of the bunch. But we also see another side to him. He helps innocents caught in human trafficking and help them heal. So we see his patience, understanding and care when it comes to her. I do think that there are elements of his character that I wish was better portrayed. It felt at times it came out as too soft. I do understand why the author wrote him the way that she did, but it just didn't feel like the other heroes by this author. But she also hasn't really had a heroine in this way either. So I feel like this was new territory but it didn't bother me too much as I understood why. We do see some brutality from him in the end, I just wish we saw a bit more alpha aspects to his character in this one as we know him to be. I do love how protective he was of her even with those he considers family. He put Grace as his priority and I truly loved that. I adored how this was more slow burn though. Because of the way Grace was tortured, them jumping into bed together wouldn't have been good. We see the trust and connection being slowly built between them and I truly appreciated it.
While its not my favorite of the series, I truly appreciated what was delivered on this one here and eager to see more of the series.
Death is the third book in the "Mafia Empire" series and in this one we have a very emotionally driven story and this is one of the most unique books from this author that I have ever read. I honestly didn't know how to handle this one at times, it really touches base on some difficult issues here. This features the sister of the heroine from the first book. She was kidnapped and tormented psychologically and so we see the effects of this when our hero, Santiago, finds her and she is the woman he has been dreaming of and destined to find. Santiago out of the five of the mafia empire group is the one that is the more playful of the bunch. But we also see another side to him. He helps innocents caught in human trafficking and help them heal. So we see his patience, understanding and care when it comes to her. I do think that there are elements of his character that I wish was better portrayed. It felt at times it came out as too soft. I do understand why the author wrote him the way that she did, but it just didn't feel like the other heroes by this author. But she also hasn't really had a heroine in this way either. So I feel like this was new territory but it didn't bother me too much as I understood why. We do see some brutality from him in the end, I just wish we saw a bit more alpha aspects to his character in this one as we know him to be. I do love how protective he was of her even with those he considers family. He put Grace as his priority and I truly loved that. I adored how this was more slow burn though. Because of the way Grace was tortured, them jumping into bed together wouldn't have been good. We see the trust and connection being slowly built between them and I truly appreciated it.
While its not my favorite of the series, I truly appreciated what was delivered on this one here and eager to see more of the series.
July 15, 2025
I’d give this book 3.5 stars. It was the best in the series, but everything felt too rushed—especially the relationship with Santiago and the pregnancy. Still, Michelle’s books are always short and to the point, which I appreciate, since she doesn’t drag things out with unnecessary detail.
July 25, 2025
dnf 65%
i can't read this nonsense anymore
i can't read this nonsense anymore
August 5, 2025
“𝕮𝖎𝖆𝖗𝖆 𝖇𝖊𝖑𝖔𝖓𝖌𝖘 𝖙𝖔 𝖒𝖊…𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝕴 𝖜𝖔𝖓’𝖙 𝖑𝖊𝖙 𝖆𝖓𝖞𝖔𝖓𝖊 𝖙𝖆𝖐𝖊 𝖍𝖊𝖗 𝖆𝖜𝖆𝖞 𝖋𝖗𝖔𝖒 𝖒𝖊…”
*le sigh* this book. Let me start this off by saying, IT WASN’T BAD….it was a good book. It has some EXTREMELY heavy themes. Extreme. There’s SA on page…kidnapping…torture…it’s brutal. So please…be mindful when tackling this one. Your mental health ALWAYS should come first.
Ok…let’s get into it…this is Santiago’s book. And boy do we start with a MASSIVE plot twist. If you read the first book then you are promptly on board the “we don’t like you, Ciara” train…because…Ciara was awful to her sister Grace in the first book. But in this book we realise that she’s been kidnapped and was forced to say all of those things to her sister to keep her from looking for her. So…we all now need to hop off that train, because sweet Ciara was only doing what she had to do in order to survive. And that poor girl was going through something so horrific, I can’t even explain. I could barely get through the first 6 chapters…I had to pause…cry…breathe…then slowly ease back into it because it was a lot.
Ciara sees her escape in the form of Santiago when he’s at the home doing some work. She sees the opportunity and takes it. Running right into his arms. And immediately he knows that this is the girl the cards have destined for him. He doesn’t hesitate and rescues her immediately. And also delivers swift justice to the kidnapper in a way that only he can 🙃
Here’s where things started to spiral for me. Now…before you guys start coming for my throat…YES…I know it’s fictional. I get it. But…as a survivor myself…and as an ER trauma nurse who deals with victims like Ciara…I’m seeing it from both sides and I just can’t make it make sense. Her “healing” journey just felt like avoidance. While Santiago is a GOOD MAN and cares for her and loves her deeply…he’s in no way qualified to deal with the trauma she’s endured. He’s been through is own stuff and to be quite frank, Ciara basically went from one very possessive and controlling man to another. Santiago and the kidnapper were essentially the same except Santiago didn’t abuse her. But she 100000% was under his control.
The idea that she felt safe and at ease with him because he was “hot” and she was attracted to him ? 😒😒 come on…if we are going to deep dive into trauma THIS BAD, let’s not trivialise the recovery process. Because what that poor girl needed was intensive help. 9 months of torture and captivity will not be cured in one month with a hot guy and diamonds. It’s almost a slap in the face to people who have gone through this in real life.
Again…YES I KNOW ITS FICTION!! But fiction doesn’t mean tossing away the reality of how grave a situation like this is. I would have rather seen the struggle of Ciara trying to heal. That would have resonated with me more than seeing her trauma glossed over with expensive gifts and a hot guy.
I also really wanted Ciara to stand up to her sister. I ended up not really loving Grace as much in this book. If she was so concerned with her sister she could have looked for her. She had a man by her side who could LITERALLY find anyone. She could have asked him and he would have done it immediately. But what does she do? She texts Ciara once and when she gets nothing she’s like 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️ and continues on her merry way. Like wtf is happening. I wanted Ciara to be mad…angry…she had every right to be. But we didn’t get that. Don’t worry Ciara…I was mad for you. I was throwing imaginary punches for you, girl.
And then…we get the surprise pregnancy. 🧐🧐🧐 listen closely. The last thing Ciara needed after ALL OF THAT is a baby. I. Do. Not. Care. What. You. Say. It was unnecessary and a just ridiculous was to put a fictional bandaid on her trauma. Therapy….finding herself on her own for a bit, literally ANYTHING would have been better than a baby. Please guys 😩 we don’t need babies to make things better. This is one example of that.
Like I said…it wasn’t BAD! Was it great? No. Would I read it again…probably not, only because it’s so heavy emotionally. If you can look past the completely non-sensical way the trauma is dealt with then you’ll probably really enjoy this. Will I read the next book? Absolutely. Because even though this one made me want to rip my hair out….I AM INVESTED!
Thank you so much to Michelle Heard & Candi Kane PR for the opportunity to ARC read this book 🖤
🖤Dark Romance
🥀Captivity
🖤SA (On Page)
🥀Mental Health Rep
🖤PTSD/Trauma
🥀Trauma Bonding
🖤EXTREME Violence
🥀Gore/💀/Torture
🖤Virgin Heroine
🥀Celibate but Experienced Hero
🖤Insta-Love
🥀Traumatised FMC
🖤Possessive MMC
🥀Age Gap (39/26)
🖤Slow Burn
🥀Touch Her & 💀
🖤Dual POV
🥀HEA
*le sigh* this book. Let me start this off by saying, IT WASN’T BAD….it was a good book. It has some EXTREMELY heavy themes. Extreme. There’s SA on page…kidnapping…torture…it’s brutal. So please…be mindful when tackling this one. Your mental health ALWAYS should come first.
Ok…let’s get into it…this is Santiago’s book. And boy do we start with a MASSIVE plot twist. If you read the first book then you are promptly on board the “we don’t like you, Ciara” train…because…Ciara was awful to her sister Grace in the first book. But in this book we realise that she’s been kidnapped and was forced to say all of those things to her sister to keep her from looking for her. So…we all now need to hop off that train, because sweet Ciara was only doing what she had to do in order to survive. And that poor girl was going through something so horrific, I can’t even explain. I could barely get through the first 6 chapters…I had to pause…cry…breathe…then slowly ease back into it because it was a lot.
Ciara sees her escape in the form of Santiago when he’s at the home doing some work. She sees the opportunity and takes it. Running right into his arms. And immediately he knows that this is the girl the cards have destined for him. He doesn’t hesitate and rescues her immediately. And also delivers swift justice to the kidnapper in a way that only he can 🙃
Here’s where things started to spiral for me. Now…before you guys start coming for my throat…YES…I know it’s fictional. I get it. But…as a survivor myself…and as an ER trauma nurse who deals with victims like Ciara…I’m seeing it from both sides and I just can’t make it make sense. Her “healing” journey just felt like avoidance. While Santiago is a GOOD MAN and cares for her and loves her deeply…he’s in no way qualified to deal with the trauma she’s endured. He’s been through is own stuff and to be quite frank, Ciara basically went from one very possessive and controlling man to another. Santiago and the kidnapper were essentially the same except Santiago didn’t abuse her. But she 100000% was under his control.
The idea that she felt safe and at ease with him because he was “hot” and she was attracted to him ? 😒😒 come on…if we are going to deep dive into trauma THIS BAD, let’s not trivialise the recovery process. Because what that poor girl needed was intensive help. 9 months of torture and captivity will not be cured in one month with a hot guy and diamonds. It’s almost a slap in the face to people who have gone through this in real life.
Again…YES I KNOW ITS FICTION!! But fiction doesn’t mean tossing away the reality of how grave a situation like this is. I would have rather seen the struggle of Ciara trying to heal. That would have resonated with me more than seeing her trauma glossed over with expensive gifts and a hot guy.
I also really wanted Ciara to stand up to her sister. I ended up not really loving Grace as much in this book. If she was so concerned with her sister she could have looked for her. She had a man by her side who could LITERALLY find anyone. She could have asked him and he would have done it immediately. But what does she do? She texts Ciara once and when she gets nothing she’s like 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️ and continues on her merry way. Like wtf is happening. I wanted Ciara to be mad…angry…she had every right to be. But we didn’t get that. Don’t worry Ciara…I was mad for you. I was throwing imaginary punches for you, girl.
And then…we get the surprise pregnancy. 🧐🧐🧐 listen closely. The last thing Ciara needed after ALL OF THAT is a baby. I. Do. Not. Care. What. You. Say. It was unnecessary and a just ridiculous was to put a fictional bandaid on her trauma. Therapy….finding herself on her own for a bit, literally ANYTHING would have been better than a baby. Please guys 😩 we don’t need babies to make things better. This is one example of that.
Like I said…it wasn’t BAD! Was it great? No. Would I read it again…probably not, only because it’s so heavy emotionally. If you can look past the completely non-sensical way the trauma is dealt with then you’ll probably really enjoy this. Will I read the next book? Absolutely. Because even though this one made me want to rip my hair out….I AM INVESTED!
Thank you so much to Michelle Heard & Candi Kane PR for the opportunity to ARC read this book 🖤
🖤Dark Romance
🥀Captivity
🖤SA (On Page)
🥀Mental Health Rep
🖤PTSD/Trauma
🥀Trauma Bonding
🖤EXTREME Violence
🥀Gore/💀/Torture
🖤Virgin Heroine
🥀Celibate but Experienced Hero
🖤Insta-Love
🥀Traumatised FMC
🖤Possessive MMC
🥀Age Gap (39/26)
🖤Slow Burn
🥀Touch Her & 💀
🖤Dual POV
🥀HEA
June 28, 2025
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tropes:
🖤mafia
🩶age gap
🖤forced proximity
🩶found family
🖤morally grey protective anti-hero
🩶kidnapping
🖤over coming trauma
🩶Healing
🖤dual pov
Death from author Michelle heard is book 3 in her Mafia Empire series and gives us the story of Santiago and Ciara. Now let me say that this book certainly did not disappoint me, but be prepared for the emotions this book may bring.
Our FMC, Ciara, who is the younger sister of Grace, who we met in book 1. From book 1 Ciara’s story was set up… remember how she goes silent n just goes to Europe.. well that sets us up for Ciara’s story now. That was all a farse… she was secretly kidnapped by Nolan, one of her father’s men and held captive in a cottage for a little over 9months. She managed to escape only to run right into another man… Santiago.
Our MMC, Santiago is kind of a double sided coin. He’s ruthless and a killer, especially for people who are hurting others. But he’s also soft and caring when it comes to Ciara. He’s had to overcome his own pain and trauma in his life to get to where he is now. Santiago knew the moment he saw Ciara she was HIS and he would protect, care, love and support her for life.
What happens next is the unraveling of an emotional roller coaster from painful trauma. Michelle takes you on a roller coaster journey, this not a typical mafia romance story but it does come together so well. It deals with the trauma, emotional pain, and healing and even revenge.
Santiago and Ciara's story was just a beautiful journey . We watch these souls come together and they start building trust and healing until eventually it becomes more.
I can’t wait to see what book 4 brings us with Leo as I’ve loved this series from Michelle
Tropes:
🖤mafia
🩶age gap
🖤forced proximity
🩶found family
🖤morally grey protective anti-hero
🩶kidnapping
🖤over coming trauma
🩶Healing
🖤dual pov
Death from author Michelle heard is book 3 in her Mafia Empire series and gives us the story of Santiago and Ciara. Now let me say that this book certainly did not disappoint me, but be prepared for the emotions this book may bring.
Our FMC, Ciara, who is the younger sister of Grace, who we met in book 1. From book 1 Ciara’s story was set up… remember how she goes silent n just goes to Europe.. well that sets us up for Ciara’s story now. That was all a farse… she was secretly kidnapped by Nolan, one of her father’s men and held captive in a cottage for a little over 9months. She managed to escape only to run right into another man… Santiago.
Our MMC, Santiago is kind of a double sided coin. He’s ruthless and a killer, especially for people who are hurting others. But he’s also soft and caring when it comes to Ciara. He’s had to overcome his own pain and trauma in his life to get to where he is now. Santiago knew the moment he saw Ciara she was HIS and he would protect, care, love and support her for life.
What happens next is the unraveling of an emotional roller coaster from painful trauma. Michelle takes you on a roller coaster journey, this not a typical mafia romance story but it does come together so well. It deals with the trauma, emotional pain, and healing and even revenge.
Santiago and Ciara's story was just a beautiful journey . We watch these souls come together and they start building trust and healing until eventually it becomes more.
I can’t wait to see what book 4 brings us with Leo as I’ve loved this series from Michelle
June 29, 2025
5 ⭐️/1.5 🌶️
I will gladly die on the hill that Michelle is one of the best mafia romance authors out there—and Santiago’s book is solid proof. Ever since the first book in the series dropped, I’ve been not-so-patiently waiting for his story, and let me tell you… it. did. not. disappoint.🙌🏼
Santiago is the blueprint. The man redefines fictional book boyfriend energy with his quiet strength, unshakable patience, and the kind of protective love that makes you wish he’d walk out of the pages. And let’s not forget—he’s still a ruthless Mafia boss when it matters most. I was 100% on board with him avenging Ciara. No notes, just pure loyalty.
And Ciara—oh, my beautifully broken girl. Her trauma, her skittishness, her strength to trust again—it was written with so much depth and care that I wanted to wrap her in a blanket and tell her she’s safe now. 🥹
The way she and Santiago found each other was absolute perfection. These two own my heart and entire soul now.💕
If you’ve been on the fence about picking up this series, take this as your sign. I cannot wait for more books from her!🥰
I will gladly die on the hill that Michelle is one of the best mafia romance authors out there—and Santiago’s book is solid proof. Ever since the first book in the series dropped, I’ve been not-so-patiently waiting for his story, and let me tell you… it. did. not. disappoint.🙌🏼
Santiago is the blueprint. The man redefines fictional book boyfriend energy with his quiet strength, unshakable patience, and the kind of protective love that makes you wish he’d walk out of the pages. And let’s not forget—he’s still a ruthless Mafia boss when it matters most. I was 100% on board with him avenging Ciara. No notes, just pure loyalty.
And Ciara—oh, my beautifully broken girl. Her trauma, her skittishness, her strength to trust again—it was written with so much depth and care that I wanted to wrap her in a blanket and tell her she’s safe now. 🥹
The way she and Santiago found each other was absolute perfection. These two own my heart and entire soul now.💕
If you’ve been on the fence about picking up this series, take this as your sign. I cannot wait for more books from her!🥰
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