Sparkled

Lacey Luzzi Mafia Mysteries #2

by Gina LaManna

Lacey, Clay and Meg are back—this time headed to...a wedding?

Assignment Numero Dos for Lacey comes straight from the Godfather himself. When one of the Luzzi Family’s low-ranking associates is found dead, Carlos believes it may be the doing of the rival Russian mob, and he orders Lacey to find the killer. But every detail about the assignment is a little too neat, a little too tidy, and a little too good to be true. Could this really be an open and shut case, complete with a confession from the murderer?

When Lacey's pumpkin-colored, body-building cousin Joey starts making trouble at his ex-fiance's wedding, the case starts unraveling from the inside out.

Lacey's not sure which is worse: going face to face with a vicious murderer, ditching Auntie Nora's attempts to fill in the 'plus one' on her invite, or finding herself locked in the same hotel as the hot, unavailable, but increasingly drool-worthy Anthony.

Lacey never knew that wearing sparkles could be so damn dangerous.

Genres: Mystery, Humor, Romance, American, Cozy Mystery, Comedy, Novels

222 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 11, 2015

About the author

Originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, Gina LaManna has also called Italy and Los Angeles home. After studying numbers and equations in college, she realized multiple choice tests were “just not for her” and began writing books instead. She loves cappuccino foam and whipped cream and would subsist solely on sprinkles if possible. She currently lives in St. Paul with her wonderful husband and family.

Reviews

[Runningrabbit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kindle Unlimited
I enjoyed this book much more than the first, and if you wished, you could get away with reading this one first.

The formula is pretty much Stephanie Plum/Janet Evanovich if you enjoy the funny, spoof style mystery. This series is based around the Mob, and if you completely disregard the truth about Mafioso styled crime, you can look at the novel as a romanticised version of killers that only murder nasty people.

The heroine is everything you would expect: clutzy, poorly dressed and with a terrible diet. Uncoordinated, bad car, unfit and her misfit friends are just as much jigsaw fitted. Enter sexy bad boy and you have a book.

A good fun, light read.

[Karin · Rating 2 out of 5]

🐉🐍Jade Dragons🐉🐍
Ohio - Industry

Sparkled by Gina LaManna
2.5 stars rounded down

https://www.goodreads.com/work/shelve... third column near bottom

This is getting rounded down since I rounded the first one up. Lacey Luzzi is asked to find out who killed an employee of the Family (her Family) and she gets a confession almost right away and, given that she isn't particularly bright, she believes it. The main thing wrong with this series is that Lacey is just a bit too stupid to make a believable heroine, and also some of the plot devices aren't the best, but there are a few funny scenes in it and it gets somewhat more fun for a while, but honestly, there is nothing riveting about this. That said, it's a quick read and doesn't take much brain power so can help clear your head from heavier books.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lacey, Meg, Clay, Anthony and The Godfather/grandfather are back! and the laughs just keep on coming! More fun than Who Killed Roger Rabbit? and SNL combined!
The Minneapolis mafia is watching out so that the Russian mafia doesn't muscle in on their territory. A low talent member is killed. There is this wedding of oddly paired family, and Meg's dress is more of a spectacle than the bride's. And the ex boyfriend of the bride is something else!
Lacey is supposed to sort out this mess, and without spoilers, just go along for the ride and don't gigglesnort yourself to death!
Caitlin Kelley is great as Lacey, and keeps the other *characters* well defined for us. She is just PERFECT as audio performer for this series!
I am thankful to have been gifted with this segment of this series and all too happy to post an honest review

[Miki’s⚠️ Safety Reviews & Rants⚠️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok guys this is a review for the entire series 😅.
🎧 I did the audios (which was such a mess and highly disappointing) so
I’m gonna break down this whole series without any major plot spoilers but this will have relationship spoilers and the series character progression spoilers.
I wanted a good long audio series. It was my main reason for picking this up!

Overall this was..
Romcom
Suspend disbelief
Silly antics
Mafia family- but also not really done well
Over the top antics
Light and mostly fun listening
Cozy mystery
Crazy reacurring side characters

‼️Book 1-3….
🎧audio was good w a narrator who did voices and personalities.

The first 3 books was hard for the romance. I didn’t like that she was dating OP and that Anthony was wishy washy. I also would have liked confirmation that he wasn’t dating and hooking up w OW.

I didn’t enjoy the weird way the author tried to write a love and romance. She dragged it out way too much and not in a fun way.

😡Why is she still hooking up w her looser ex!
And why is the H waiting so long and sending mixed signals for 4books??!!!

😡Also making the h pathetic isn’t attractive. She was legit in the next room while her ex he was hooking up w OW and she has seen him w a revolving door in his bed. Why is she still hooking up w him in book 3 when Anthony has told her multiple times he wants her and they have had more then one make out sess? It makes her come off as so gross and cheap w no self respect.
Way to much push and pull with Anthony the H. Makes him seem like a douche.

‼️ Book 4-
🎧Audio is the same and still good!
By the end we are finally getting somewhere with the romance! And FINALLY Lacy seems to be growing a bit.

‼️Book 5-
🎧HORRID! We went to VIRTUAL VOICE🫨 after having a great narrator w personality.
Also the story is FINALLY getting better and better and the romance was stating to get super sweet. So I was bummed about the audio big time!

‼️Book 6-
NO AUDIO AVAILABLE!!! WTF I did Alexa reading to me. What a freaking mess!
Also since the romance and story anew literally getting better w each book this is ruining my experience.

‼️Book 7-10-
🎧ALL VIRTUAL VOICE! 🫨 I guess it was better than Alexa reading it to me but WTF I mean this author really needs to get consistent with her audios.
The story was great though these were my fav of the series. We had character growth. Super sweet romance that I loved. And we got some fun storylines and mysteries. TO ME THESE BOOKS WERE THE BEST IN THE SERIES AND WHERE RHE SERIES PEAKED.
Such a shame about the audios! 😭😭😭

‼️Books 11- 12-
🎧BACK TO NARRATION! So great audios
But man the characters and the storylines took a plummet for me. Lacy was annoying me and so was Meg. Anthony turned into her useless husband. I mean he was head security for the mafia and couldn’t keep her safe! And Lacy was pregnant and putting herself in danger. I was annoyed. It’s not cute when you have real adult stuff happening to be acting like an immature child.

‼️Book 13-
🎧Back to ZERO AUDIO!
Fucking hell!!!!!! I mean really!? And I’m over it and ready for this series to end.


‼️Overall my experience of this series was def positive and I did enjoy the majority of the mysteries and stories.
I love the romance after book 4.
But to much stuff dragged to long w the characters and their growth and development.
The audios were a freaking mess! And had I known I wouldn’t have spent money buying the first 4!
By the time the series ended I felt sad to see it go but also ready. I did enjoy watching to romance bloom and grow and then get married and have kids but like I said other factors also made my experience less enjoyable to.

Overall safe.
Book 1-4 not really cause she is hooking up w her ex douche bag BF
No clue is Anthony is hooking up w OW.
After book 3 No OP at all.

🍭🎂ALSO SIDE NOTE BUT NO GROWN WOMAN CAN EAT ALL THAT SUGAR! IT WAS OK AT FIRST BUT ANGUGE TURN OFF WHEN SHE BECAME PREGNANT!
Not cute just gross.

[Coco.V]

🎁 Books 2-5 in the Series are FREE on Amazon today (3/302020)! 🎁

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and adventurous cozy mystery...
This book is humorous and fun for a murder mystery. Lacey once again gets a case from her Grandfather to solve another murder mystery. Grandfather needs to know who did the hit and if "The Family" needs to take action. I had fun listening to this cozy mystery. I love the adventures Lacey goes on and her sense of humor is hilarious!

The author, Gina LaManna does a superb job on her story here! I just love the little quirks and laughs here and there. I love Lacey's quick wit too. I listened to this audio book straight thru the first day I got it. The narrator, Caitlin Kelly does a great job delivering this tale to us. I love the voices and accents she uses to read this book to us. I particularly love the Italian accents used for "The Family".

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

** I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review **

When Caitlin asked me if I wanted to listen/review this book I said ABSOLUTELY YES IMMEDIATELY!!! I LOVE THIS SERIES!!! I HOPE #3 IS AVAILABLE ASAP!!!

Lacey and the crew are at it again, this time in search of a murderer! Along the way, there is a wedding with a runaway bride and 2 grooms....some kidnapping, a lot of lies, a little romance and tons of hilarity!!! Lacey is a great character she is smart and sassy and trouble seems to find her all the time...Being a member of a mob family isn't all its cracked up to be, but in the end she comes out a hero once again!

Thanks Caitlin!!!

[Asheley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm loving this series! I love Lacey and Meg and Anthony is Hot. These books are laugh out loud Funny! You have to read them!

[Loretta TheMoodyRedhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really enjoying this series! The reviews on Goodreads were 3.72 stars out of 5 and I admit I haven’t read any first books in a series that were any less than 4, but decided to give this a quick try. I started with the very 3.72 rated one of LaManna’s “Sprinkled”. I liked it! I can’t help but like Lacey Luzzi and chuckle over her mishaps. She’s so normal and unassuming. No one would believe her to be a key player in The Family and that’s exactly why she’s the perfect person to assign jobs by the Don (and also Lacey’s grandfather), Carlos Luzzi.

From the getgo, Lacey is invited to her cousin Vivian’s wedding. She is expected to RSVP even though she doesn’t actually want to attend. Lacey’s thoughts about the RSVP? Here they are:
“All right, maybe things wouldn’t be so bad. I could always use a nice meal. Maybe if I checked yes to a plus one, I could simply bring myself and eat two meals.”
Haha, I like that line of thinking.

More thoughts of Lacey: “I’m not exactly Mafia material. For starters, I don’t like the sight of blood. I get woozy just thinking about losing a tooth or a severe paper cut. Secondly, I have absolutely zero fighting talents. It took a plunger, a 911 call, and a bottle of wine to handle my latest confrontation, and that was with a spider.”
I respectfully disagree, because she kept a level head in the previous book “Sprinkled” when she came across the body of her potential love interest, Andrey who was also a suspected thief of the “Good Stuff” that was taken from Carlos. Anyway, there was blood and she barely blinked. In fact, she basically backed up and went in the opposite direction of the car she discovered his dead body in. She didn’t even seem shaken.

A man named Leo was murdered in this read and Carlos assigned Lacey to find out if the Russian Mafia was the one responsible for killing him. A young teenage boy named Alfonso that has hair as red as fire admitted to Lacey that he did it. Alfonso said he killed his uncle Leo so he could prove to Carlos he was worthy of joining the mafia. Alfonso wanted to show just how tough he was in killing his own blood.

Lacey wants to wrap up the case so Carlos can enjoy the wedding without the thought that another Family is trying to dominate his turf.

And then there’s Anthony… Anthony is Lacey’s bodyguard and also her personal trainer (she wants to get muscle up and tough so she can be more mafia worthy). She’s also extremely attracted to Anthony and the same can be said about him. There are a lot of scenes when they sneak in kisses and desirous glances, but Lacey is the one holding back from tackling him and letting him have his way with her. I will continue reading all the next books waiting with bated breath for the two to finally do IT! Please!

Lacey is somewhat of a tease with Anthony because she doesn’t know what or who she wants. There’s Blake whom she dated for 2 years and also spoke of marriage with, but when she refused to introduce him to her family (Family) he dumped her. Blake knows something shady is going on with Lacey’s life and job, but he doesn’t know the extent of it. She still sleeps with him regularly which confuses him, because he still wants to marry her. But she always leaves afterward their makeouts and never stays the night with him. All he wants is to meet her family. He doesn’t know the half of why she won’t introduce him though.

I like Lacey’s cousin who is also her roommate, Clay. Clay is a computer genius and always up for digging into a mystery to solve.

Lastly, Meg. Meg is Lacey’s BFF who was a cop until she was fired from the force for roughing up one too many suspects of crimes. Meg is loud, confident, has slews of men panting over her (and many that only SHE is panting over), and pretty vulgar with not only her language, but also her bodily functions. However, she is loyal as heck and always willing to beat anyone down who tries to mess with her friends, particularly Lacey. Oh, she also carries a gun most of the time. We see how Clay and Meg are gradually becoming closer as the chapters go by. I suspect that if they aren’t already getting “jiggy with it” - Meg’s phrase - they will eventually… soon.

So, in the end with the help from her family and friends Lacey does help solve the duty Carlos gave her and only a few explosives were required.

Next is book 3 - “Salted”.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lacey Luzzi is ready for her second assignment from her grandfather, the Don of the St. Paul Italian Mafia. Lacey must find the killer of a low ranking Luzzi family associate, Leo Campani, who has tuned up dead. She must do this by 3/18--her cousin Vivian's wedding. Vivian, who was once engaged to her cousin Joey, is getting married in Lutsen, Minnesota in only one week. To complicate matters, Joey has offered five grand to Lacey if she will take him to the wedding as her plus one. Of course, head of the Luzzi family security, hottie, Anthony will also be attending the wedding. I enjoyed meeting the group of "crazies" in the first book of this cozy mystery series. They kept me entertained again in Sparkled!

[Elaine Lucky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lacey is on the case for her grandfather to find out who killed Leo & why. A mystery that should be easy to solve except Alfonso the teenage twerp takes credit for killing his Uncle Leo so Lacey & Meg keep him locked up to find out more information in Clay's apartment. Meanwhile Lacey is stressing over Cousin Vivian's wedding and who her plus one is going to be. Unfortunately, Cousin Joey who is Viv's former fiancee is coming with Lacey to stop the wedding. Hilarity, kidnapping, explosions, & some romance happen while not is all what it seems. Will Meg & Clay ever get together and is Anthony really interested in Lacey or just assuming his bodyguard/trainer duties?

[Jenica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. So much better than the 1st book. The author found her strive and made Lacey more grown up. No foot stomps in this. Everything just worked. We still get the main crew that we are coming to count on to be there. Carlos grew on me more with this. He's is a mob boss, but you know he has a soft spot for Lacey. I can't wait to see that grow. We get more Lacey and Anthony which is just amazing. I need an Anthony book! He's so mysterious. We also get Meg and Clay which are quirky, but loyal. What another fun ride! On to the next one!

[Stephanie Corbett · Rating 4 out of 5]

What could go wrong... at an Italian Mafia wedding!?

This is a wonderful second instalment in Lacey Luzzi’s attempt to find her place with the Family and earn a little money. She is investigating the death of one of the Family associates, she needs to confirm the Russians weren’t involved. Instead it is a roadshow if the bizarre and terrible events that make up Lacey’s carwreck of a life, which wouldn’t be complete without kidnapping, explosions and being shot at again!

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

[Pam Fleming · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book two for friends Lacey, Meg and Clay. They are once again involved in “Family Business”. This time Lacey
Is charged with finding out who killed cousin Leo. The adventure takes her to Cousin Vivian’s wedding to a banker. The characters continue their bumbling attempts to solve a crime and protect the FAMILY honor. As the story continues, will the wedding take place? If so who will Vivian actually marry?

Read this for more fun character details

[Pamela S Eveland · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you liked Sprinkled, you'll love Sparkled!

The Lacey Luzzi tales are improving. A light, mystery, with a little almost romance thrown in, Lacey is the WI mofia's answer to Stphanie Plum. This book has more structure and logic, but also more twists, than the first. I believe Ms LaManna has refined her technique in Sparkled.

[Dominique G. Riddick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sparkled - A humorous cozy mystery

This was book one, after the prequel, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to my next read in this series. I recommend it to a friend, for a friend recommended it to me.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Family weddings are always an adventure. Add in a change in groom, an ex-fiancé that wants back in, a dead body and you have a Luzzi Family wedding. Lacey is back on the case finding answers for Carlos.

[DMCechak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lacey Sparkled!

Gina Lamanna provides us with some genuine fun as her characters are involved in deception, yet she continues to allow us to enjoy the relationships that form.

I love reading these stories!

[Lisa Kimbrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m starting to really love this series. I’ve always been in love with Stephanie Plum and Lacey is just like her but for the Criminal side. I love the heated tension between her and Anthony. Can’t wait to read more!!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silly Fun

Fun book with consistently entertaining characters and an easy to follow story line. Perfect easy reading for a relaxing time.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it

I am glad I stumbled across this author and books. Great read on an enjoyable lunch hour. I love the characters and learning more about them as the books progress.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun little mystery. Easy to read. Some of the stuff that happens is stupid, some funny. I needed a quick, light read.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

[Cindy Rippentrop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun Mafia Mystery

This is a fun little Mafia Mystery series. Enjoy this slap stick comedy as
Lacey pursues her man in a race against time to solve the mystery.

[Cindy Calhoun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and easy to read (or listen to on Audible). Very simple but keeps you enjoying the story up to the end.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lacey is going to a wedding. So is her family and friends. No telling what can happen next with the whole lot of them together.

[Robyn Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audible

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the journey.

[Margaret N Novack · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was much shorter than the previous book. It seemed too predictable. I don’t feel as though I got my money’s worth for such a short book.

[Bekah Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute

I dont understand how Lacy can bumble through and always catch the bad guy. Great characters ...its a cute series so far.