Finding Hope

by Samantha Bushmills

Thirteen years ago, Carlo Moretti watched the girl he loved slide into a tomb—though lies were the only thing buried in there.
They told him she was dead.
They told him to forget her.
He couldn’t.

When a single phone call reveals Francesca Rossi is alive, Carlo will do anything to get her back.
He and his best friend must return to Sicily—the one place he swore off forever.
To confront the father who abandoned him.
And face a world of secrets, power, and blood.

The past didn’t just take her from him.
It shaped the lie that destroyed them both.

Taking her will ignite a war.
But losing her again?
That would destroy what little humanity he has left.

For fans of dark mafia romance, forbidden love, second chances, steamy open-door scenes with a sprinkling of MM, found family, and emotional high stakes.

Genres: Dark Romance

371 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 30, 2026

About the author

Samantha Bushmills writes steamy, emotionally charged romance that blends spice, heartache, and healing, with authentic mental health representation at its core. She’s the author of The Hope Trilogy, the interconnected standalone Severed Hope, and her latest release, Choosing Hope—a darkly tender MMF romance about shame, desire, and second chances.
She lives in the southwest of France with her husband, two teenage daughters, and a love for travel, cooking, and cocktails.

Reviews

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carlo has been close to my heart since his introduction, but watching him flourish in Finding Hope as he fought to get Chess back was incredible. His devotion to her is breathtaking, the kind of love where he would burn down the world to protect her after everything she endured being kidnapped, hidden away, and abused for thirteen years. This is a story of love lost and found, forgiveness, and Carlo’s determination to give Chess the life and freedom she deserves. I found him frustrating at first because of his impulsiveness, but his deep adoration for Chess completely won me over. Chess is resilient, strong, and courageous. Her forgiving nature and quiet optimism highlight her strength and make her the perfect match for Carlo. The story was gripping, emotional, and impossible to put down, and Carlo and Chess truly deserve the world.

[Jazzy Mermaid · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Choosing Hope, which follows Spencer's journey, I had so many questions about Carlo. Finding Hope not only brought me answers I was looking for and so much more. When the truth surfaces about someone Carlo has been grieving, the series of twists and truths exposed comes in. Spencer is trying to keep Carlo focused and guided but Carlo loves being in charge. This book has a phenomenal combination of second chance romance while slow burn into learning through healing. I am amazed to see the unfolding of truths and the foundations of honesty in this book. I throughly enjoyed the intensity, complex mature emotions, banter, spice and most of all ... the depths in which is Carlo. ✨️📚✨️

[My Used Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to receive an advanced reader’s copy of Finding Hope by Samantha Bushmills. After reading Choosing Hope, which followed Spencer, I was really glad to finally get Carlo’s story, especially since he was mentioned so often in that book.

Finding Hope follows Carlo and Francesca and the trials and tribulations they face in order to be together. I truly enjoyed this book and found myself reaching for my Kindle often because I wanted to see what would happen next. It answered a lot of the questions I had about Carlo and helped me better understand his actions and mindset in Choosing Hope. There were moments when I genuinely felt bad for him, as he often felt unwanted and had already lost one of the only people he truly loved.

I also really enjoyed watching Chess grow throughout the story. She didn’t let her situation overrun her life, and once she was back with Carlo, she allowed love to take over. She didn’t keep herself hidden from him, which really showed that theirs is a true love and that these two were made for each other.

My only real complaint was the length. I felt like the story could have ended perfectly at chapter 37, and everything after that might have worked better as a novella.

As a heads-up for readers, this book includes MM and MMF scenes, as well as some heavier subject matter.

[Book Junkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I had a soft spot for Carlo after reading Choosing Hope and after the revelation that his one love wasn't dead I knew this one was gonna be good. Carlo has not had an easy life and the one constant has been his best friend Spencer. They lost Chess at a very young age and while Spencer met Sophie and moved on Carlo has been, to a degree, stuck in the past. He has lived his life to the max but he hasn't really been living. When Carlo discovers that Chess is still alive he has one goal and that is to get his girl back. Chess was forced into marriage and has had to live a caged life. While she has been kept comfortable she has also had to experience things no-one should endure but she is strong and resilient and has made the most of her captivity.

Chess and Carlo are end game for each other despite having to navigate their time apart and everything that happened in those years!

I really enjoyed their story and I enjoyed how the dynamic worked between Spencer and Sophie and Carlo and Chess.

This was another book I had the privilege of Beta reading and it was so much fun. You do not need to read Choosing Hope to enjoy Finding Hope.

[The Book Ssirren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Samantha for allowing me to be a part of your ARC team ❤️

This book had me in a chokehold the entire time. From the first chapter to the last, I was invested. Carlo thought the woman he loved had “expired” (for the web professionalism), but he’d found out through his sickly father that she had in fact been very much alive for the past 13 years. Married to another man. This hurt him, but he went off to find her.
This book was so intense. I loved the twists and turns. I was literally on the edge of my seat the entire time. I was gripping my iPad like it was my lifeline. Holding my breath waiting for what came next. I loved the two of them together. They were explosive, and oh my, that spice level! 🥵🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This book was so good, it’ll be one that will stay in the forefront of my mind for a very long time. Please tell me there’s another one? Physical copy? I’m gonna run over now and check lol.

[Neapolitan670 📚🖤 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A contemporary mafia romance. A story based around lost love and the fight to regain what was never gone.

Chess, to all intents and purposes was sold into a marriage not of her choosing, to produce an heir. Kept behind security guards and fences for thirteen years, only the garden and her beloved dog as her constant to the outside. An abusive husband who only needed her to reproduce and when she can’t, he still won’t allow her freedom. Until finding out she didn’t d!e, her one true love comes to her rescue but it is not without its dangers. Will he find a broken woman? Will she ever be truly free?

Samantha, leads us through their life with flashbacks to happier times, the love that has held strong for all parties involved for years, the determination to focus on what they need to do is all in the narrative that flows through to give us an enjoyable lost love romance.

Mafia | Found Family | 🍇implied | Violence | Substance abuse | HEA | Grief | Spice

[Lee Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have waited and hoped for this book. The whole series has been phenomenal, and Finding Hope added so much to the storyline. I will say that within the first few chapters, you get a bomb dropped on you. I mean, who would have thought!! The story of Carlo and Spencer has always been close to my hearts they never wavered from their love. But Chess and Carlo is a true love story that just makes your heart warm. I highly recommend this book and the whole series. Samantha is the queen of writing love stories, and every book just gets better and better.

[Miranda Hawkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was a beautiful reminder of resilience, healing, and finding yourself again. The FMC is strong and self-made, reclaiming who she is after everything she’s endured, while the MMC is emotionally lost, believing he’s already lost the love of his life. Watching him realize she was never truly gone and learning to let himself be happy again; was both tender and heartbreaking. Their reconnection feels emotional, earned, and deeply satisfying, making this a powerful story about rediscovered love and personal growth.

[Amanda Milne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book by Samantha and what a book! It is based around two key characters - Carlo and Chess who have known each other since they were children. The spice is off the page hot 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 and the storyline was fantastic!!!! The emotions of the characters felt so real for not just the two main characters but the other characters in the book.

The storyline was based on an event and it builds from there. I cannot give too many details of the book without giving spoilers but this is a must read for you!!!

I am off to read the rest of Samantha's books 📖❤️

[Amy x · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC READ. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶🌶🌶🌶

I hadnt read the first book but this was still a 5 star read for me! I am now going back and reading book one.
I adored Carlos and Chess! I loved the relationship of Spencer and Sophie and Carlos and Chess! I love a mafia romance and this book seriously had me hooked. I loved the flashbacks so you could get a sense of just what the relationship was like before she "died". I love a dual POV it gives me everything I need! The spicy scenes was spicy!

[Sarina Bek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carlo never stopped loving Francesca even when he was told she had died. So when he finally found out 13 years after from his dying father that she was in fact still alive and married to a mob boss.
Carlo”s best friend Spencer makes sure to keep him grounded, whilst also reuniting with a love he thought dead.
Francesca and Carlos love stood the test of time and is shows that their love is deep and real.
This an emotional reconnection of true love.

[Jill McBee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding Hope was the mafia book i didnt know it needed. it checked all my boxes. I laughed, I cried, I threw my kindle when Carlo pissed me off with his ridiculous overprotective nature. I have not had a book take me through all those emotions in a while. I loved watching Chess overcome everything after being captive for 13 years. Basically having Stockholm syndrome. please tell me there will be a book about their future together!!!

[Jazmyne Janai · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I did enjoy this book by the end of it, I had some mixed feelings about it throughout the book. I really loved seeing Carlo, Spencer and Chessy relationship develop separately and together. It makes me want to go back and read the story with Sophie to see the full picture of them. The book was a little slow for me. I found myself really wanting to stop, but pushing through because I knew it would pick up (which it did) So overall I did really enjoy it

[Sky Empey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to read an ARC of Finding Hope by Samantha Bushmills, and I really enjoyed Carlo and Chess’s story. This book pulled me in quickly with its emotional depth, second-chance romance, and strong character growth. Carlo’s devotion and Chess’s quiet strength made them easy to root for, and I found myself eager to keep reading to see how their journey would unfold.

Note for readers: includes MM and MMF scenes and heavier subject matter.

[Annemorris57 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful story. An easy read that is hard to put down. Carlos and Chess’s story begins tragically and ends beautifully. A little spicy but perfectly readable if spicy isn’t really your thing. Deeply emotional, devoted to family and full of love, I highly recommend this read. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

[Jill S · Rating 5 out of 5]

So so so good!! I have zero complaints about this book. Chapter one was all it took to have me HOOKED.

Carlo and Chess's story is so beautiful. He proved over and over he would do anything for his woman. Spencer and Sophie were so solid in the story too. The created family in all of them together was perfect.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for suspense, lots of spice and true love, “Finding Hope” is for you. The story is about Carlos finds out his true love isn’t dead but was sold to a mafia don and Carlos’s quest to rescue her. It’s hot seeing Carlos be sweet and still be the super dom he is. Make sure you read “Choosing Hope” first.

[Stefanie Simeone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it!

This book is about betrayal, lost love and a second chance. Carlo and Chess’s story is emotional. Thirteen years of grief and unanswered questions explode when they find each other. Their love is deep. Carlo is very protective. It’s dramatic, passionate, and full of love. I highly recommend it.

[Abigail Swartzlander · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in awe of this story. it's heartfelt and warming with enough edge and spice to keep you interested. The two main couples in this story are amazing and their love knows no bounds. if you like mafia romance this is for you

[Gina Wooldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC . This is a new author for me and it was well written with characters that were well developed and a story that kept you turning the pages. I’ll go back and read the earlier books in this series as I need more of these characters and their history.

[Chezza's life · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Arc review*

Oh i enjoyed this one, it was stunningly beautiful.
CARLOS'S story, every minute of it. I love the dynamics of all the characters and the character growth of carlos was just lovely to read, he deserved this book.

Thank you samantha for sending this to me

[Lisa Guerrero · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping and passionate read that stuck with me long after the final page. It was compelling and dangerous, power and resilience second chance romance novel that you won't regret picking up.

[Carrie Hess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book!

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This emotional story pulled me in from the start. I can’t imagine learning after more than a decade the person you loved wasn’t dead but alive. Chess was such a strong female character even more so after everything she’s been through. Carlo was complex, stubborn and totally a goner for Chess.

[Meesh Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another absolutely inCREDIBLE read from Samantha Bushmills.

I feel beyond blessed to be part of her team, and even more honored to have read this story.

Carlo is one of those characters that’s been so close to my
heart since he was introduced, and watching him absolutely FLOURISH in this story in order to get Chess back was incredible.

Chess’s character was more than I ever could have asked for. She is resilient, strong, courageous, and a downright badass.

The story was so well put together and the writing beautiful.

5⭐️

[Cozyartistbookheaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a 3.75✨️for me. It is totally worth a read,

They say, you never forget your 1st love. That is true. No matter who it is, it’s stays with you forever. Francesca, Carlos and Spencer are proof of true love and commitment.
She was dead and Carlos sorrow remained a permanent awareness in his heart.
Now, the truth comes to light and reveals that Francesca is alive. Carlos is overwelmed, enraged and devastated. Spencer stayed by his side, sharing his strength and calm, keeping him upright. They both need to find her. Carlos wants her back in his life, Spencer wants Carlos to find his happy ever after.

These characters are endearing and nothing less than real. Their honesty and loyalty are admirable. Their integrity is what I love most about them. They are unapologetic for who they are individually and to each other.

The mafia is the plot that brings the story together. Filled with twists and turns, I was entertained from start to finish.

On the downfall of this ARC review, I feel like subsential details could be added to the plot development. It all went too fast from one plan to another, missing the apprehension of whats to come. Also, more character buildup and sharing the vilains true anger and darkness would help to genuinely hate them, making the story more gut-wrenching. I just wish we had more background about all the other characters.

I'll finish with this quote from the book...
"Sometimes life is complicated. But love can be simple: show up, tell the truth, hold on."

[Jo Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

FINDING HOPE by SAMANTHA BUSHMILLS


Thirteen years after being told the love of his life died, Carlo Moretti discovers that not only is she still alive but she is in an intolerable situation, one that neither of them can abide.

Determined to rescue Francesca Rossi, Carlos will do ANYTHING it takes to set her free, whatever the cost to himself…..

—————————————

*** THIS IS AN ADULT BOOK SUITABLE FOR 18+ READERS. IT IS IMPORTANT YOU CHECK THE TRIGGER WARNINGS BEFORE STARTING AS IT INCLUDES MANY TOPICS THAT SOME MAY FIND UNCOMFORTABLE OR TRAUMATIC ***

I was fortunate enough to read the book prior to this one, CHOOSING HOPE by Samantha and although it certainly wasn’t the type of book I would naturally be drawn to I decided to give it a shot and am so glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was anxious to read this, Carlos’ and Chess’ story, so am so grateful to Samantha for an early read of this fascinating book.

Again, at first glance ‘Finding Hope’ seemed to be everything I don’t find particularly appealing in a book - there is a MM relationship, memories of a previous MMF relationship and Mafia involvement ( usually a real no no for me). However I adored ‘Choosing Hope’ so much and was therefore invested in learning more.

I absolutely recommend you read ‘Choosing Hope’ before this one as it will give you a greater understanding of the characters involved and an insight into their complex relationship.

Finding Hope is Carlo Moretti’s story of love lost and found, of desire, of desperation, of forgiveness, and his determination to give Francesca Rossi the freedom and life she deserves.

At first I found Carlo incredibly frustrating, his impulsiveness, his rashness, the way he put others in danger for his own desires. But as the story progresses his utter adoration for Chess, his desire to give her everything she wants, brought me round, and by the end I was willing him to get his HEA. He has heart and wants to do the right thing but sometimes his actions are questionable.

Chess’ forgiving nature and persistent optimism was heartwarming , the way she found any small flicker of positive, even in those who had severely wronged her, spoke to her resilient nature and highlighted the characteristics that attracted Carlo to her.

The story was complex but well thought through and very interesting. I genuinely couldn’t put the darn thing down. I even found the mafia side interesting- a sub genre I normally avoid at all costs. The intricacies of the relationships and how it affected people’s actions were fascinating.

I loved the inclusion of Spencer and Sophie in this book, particularly how Spencer was able to not only continue but actually deepen his relationship with Carlos, and how he was able to calm Carlos somewhat and steer his actions. I loved the dynamic between the four characters, the way they supported each other.

I am in awe of Ms Bushmills ability to delve deep into the character’s relationships, feelings and behaviours in an emotive and relatable manner. Her ability to humanise her characters makes you believe in them and urge them towards their HEA.

Yes, this book is very spicy with many detailed open door scenes. I’m not a fan of too much spicy action but I didn’t feel that any of the scenes in this story were superfluous, rather they aid the readers ability to understand the progression of the relationships and their developing feelings.

I read an ebook copy of this book, at around 450 pages and with a male model cover and good editing, I highly recommend this delightful story.


👨🏻‍❤️‍👨🏼👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏼 Dark Mafia Romance
👨🏻‍❤️‍👨🏼👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏼 Open Door Spice 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
👨🏻‍❤️‍👨🏼👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏼 MM/MF/MMF Spice Scenes
👨🏻‍❤️‍👨🏼👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏼 Kidnapping and Captivity
👨🏻‍❤️‍👨🏼👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏼 Forbidden Love
👨🏻‍❤️‍👨🏼👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏼 Second Chance
👨🏻‍❤️‍👨🏼👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏼 Found Family

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Years ago, when Carlo’s father took Francesca away from him, he was determined to stop at nothing to get her back, but when he was told she had been taken and killed, he lost a part of himself that he has spent the last 13 years without. When his mother comes clean and admits that Chess has been in Sicily all along, he is determined to tear down every wall to get to her. Realizing that he needs a better plan than storming the gates of a mafia don’s compound, Spencer helps him assemble a group of allies to devise a plan to get Chess out, without bringing the wrath of Sicily down on them.

Francesca is the reluctant wife of a mafia don. Told by her guardians that it was the only way to keep her safe, she initially thought that Carlo would come save her, but when she finds out that she has been officially declared dead, she accepts that no one is coming. Now after thirteen years, and unable to produce an heir, she is trapped in the manor, with seemingly no way out. Until she is told that Carlo is now aware she is alive, and for the first time in over a decade, she has hope. However, she knows that leaving will not be as easy as walking through the doors, so she needs to decide whether the chance at happiness is worth the risk.

I received an early copy of this book from the author after reading Choosing Hope and it exceeded my expectations. I fell in love with Carlo in the last book and the glimpses we got of his relationship with Chess left me wanting to know more of their story, so I was thrilled to find out she was alive at the end of the book and even happier that we got their full story. Watching them fall in love all over again so many years later made it clear that none of those feelings ever went away. I also loved how involved Spencer and Sophie are in this book, as I wasn’t really sure how that dynamic would play out, but watching them both embrace Chess with open simply reiterated the fact that she was the missing piece in the relationship all along.

[Vima · Rating 2 out of 5]

*** ARC Review ***

Rating 2.5/5 ⭐
Spice 2/5 🌶️

Thank you to Samantha Bushmills and their team for selecting me as an ARC reviewer.

I had read Choosing Hope and thought the characters had potential, and they did, but this book fell flat to me. The premise was so good, the dead GF is actually not dead! What a hook! But their plan to liberate her fell like ACME, her captor was a caricature, and Carlo seemed to revert back to a horny teenager that has no idea how to be vicious as it is implied. The love between Carlo and Spencer was cheapened in the development of this book, as it was relegated to just being a bandaid to Carlo’s real love. Both of them seemed to revert back to their internalized homophobia, and just sugar coated to a “we just need some time alone sometimes”. This was my issue in Choosing Hope and it was definitely not resolved. Chess’ character was not given any depth; this book had the opportunity to provide a complex character that was affected by both her isolation and captivity, and the hot/cold treatment of her captor and the captor enablers (mama and papa…. Also ew, making her call them that). I expected a character with a complex mental map, since these complexities were already part of this world, as evident by Choosing Hope and Spencer’s therapy. She was both a super smart captive and a naive and stupid captive, which made no sense as a character and gave the reader whiplash. Book pet peeve - GIRL, you were a captive for 13 years, and in 2-3 months you're remarried? Tsk tsk.

Additional Notes:
- Justice for Benito!
- How the hell the shower scene happened… logistically. I envisioned a lot of concussed people as they tried what it was described.
- Best quote of the book: People think of love as a single arrow. Mine never was. The three of us fit like a promise. (too bad the characters don't match it!)

[Alice · Rating 1 out of 5]

At first I was mad that I'd once again stumbled across another book written by AI. But as I kept pushing through, I started doubting myself... because even AI writes better than that.

I don't want to spend a lot of time reviewing this - I'm eager to forget and move on, so to sum up:

Dialogue was unnatural, like the author never heard people actually talking to each other. Emotions and reactions are portrayed even worse - like someone took a situation or sentence out of context and just attached an emotion to it. For example, a sentence is followed by "he snaps," when he doesn't actually snap, because the whole scene is playful before and after it. The storyline is chaotic and feels empty, without any purpose or direction. Some scenes didn't make sense and contradicted what happened before. We got an extra amount of odd, unnecessary details that felt like a push to fill some page requirement. Characters' personalities were nonexistent - they behaved however the scene required instead of how they'd actually act given their past.

The weird poly-but-not-fully-poly dynamic doesn't speak to me at all, but I'm not sure if that's just not my kind of trope or if it was so badly described that I couldn't get into it. Also, with the amount of unnecessary word vomit, I'd expect more smut scenes... instead we get maybe 4 extremely short, unimaginative (we literally have an mmf trope, how do you manage to make that boring??), and uneventful ones.

Anyway, this was either written by AI, by someone who doesn't know how to use AI, or the author desperately needs some creative writing classes.