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Feretti Syndicate #15
Ava: A Touch Her and Die Dark Mafia Romance
Not yet published
Expected 3 Nov 26
Best friend's widow. Her bodyguard. Ten years of silence.
He loved her first. He told her last.
Ten years he avoided me. Left every room I entered. Never explained why.
Then someone tried to hurt me and the man who couldn't stand my presence became the one who refused to leave it.
"I couldn't look at you without being in pain."
One sentence changed everything I thought I knew about him.
About my dead husband.
About the decade of lies between us.
Ava is a full-length mafia romance novel with no cheating and a guaranteed HEA. It is the ninth book in the Sartori Syndicate series. Each book features a different couple and can be read as a standalone.
Tropes
Husband's Best FriendWidowBodyguardForced ProximityTouch Her and DieSlow BurnHappily Ever After
Then someone tried to hurt me and the man who couldn't stand my presence became the one who refused to leave it.
"I couldn't look at you without being in pain."
One sentence changed everything I thought I knew about him.
About my dead husband.
About the decade of lies between us.
Ava is a full-length mafia romance novel with no cheating and a guaranteed HEA. It is the ninth book in the Sartori Syndicate series. Each book features a different couple and can be read as a standalone.
Tropes
Husband's Best FriendWidowBodyguardForced ProximityTouch Her and DieSlow BurnHappily Ever After
405 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 3, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
*Dark
*Mafia
*Secret pining
*Widow FMC
*Slow burn
*Fuck it
*Touch her and die
*Angst
Ava, three years after her husband's death, decides to move on with her life away from her husband's family. But a threat against her family brings Liam, her husband's best friend and security to the family, to protect her. Liam loved her since first seeing her 10 years ago and he hasn't stopped, so being in close proximity to her make him not able to contain his feelings. And when Ava learns the truth about her husband while someone is scheming against her and her family, things escalate.
Ava is a strong woman, filled with grief and guilt but stubborn to live again. She's the woman with a composure to crack any lesser man but deep inside a gentle soul who craves simple life.
Liam is a level headed man who puts loyalty above everything, even his own happiness. But he's willing to do everything, even die, for Ava the moment he sees a flicker of hope of being together with her.
I loved their chemistry! I loved their interactions! I loved how they fitted and completed each other! There was a lot of baggage to get over with but eventually they win against all odds.
Sherry Blake once again wrote an amazing piece of work that I couldn't stop reading chapter by chapter. It was quite emotional (I really can't expand on this because I'll be giving spoilers) and I might shed a couple of tears but that's between me and you.
And now I'm really curious about Fabio's story!
I received this arc and this is my honest opinion.
*Mafia
*Secret pining
*Widow FMC
*Slow burn
*Fuck it
*Touch her and die
*Angst
Ava, three years after her husband's death, decides to move on with her life away from her husband's family. But a threat against her family brings Liam, her husband's best friend and security to the family, to protect her. Liam loved her since first seeing her 10 years ago and he hasn't stopped, so being in close proximity to her make him not able to contain his feelings. And when Ava learns the truth about her husband while someone is scheming against her and her family, things escalate.
Ava is a strong woman, filled with grief and guilt but stubborn to live again. She's the woman with a composure to crack any lesser man but deep inside a gentle soul who craves simple life.
Liam is a level headed man who puts loyalty above everything, even his own happiness. But he's willing to do everything, even die, for Ava the moment he sees a flicker of hope of being together with her.
I loved their chemistry! I loved their interactions! I loved how they fitted and completed each other! There was a lot of baggage to get over with but eventually they win against all odds.
Sherry Blake once again wrote an amazing piece of work that I couldn't stop reading chapter by chapter. It was quite emotional (I really can't expand on this because I'll be giving spoilers) and I might shed a couple of tears but that's between me and you.
And now I'm really curious about Fabio's story!
I received this arc and this is my honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was so good. Sherry Blake is one of those authors that when I see they have a new work out, I drop everything and immediately devour it. I have yet to be disappointed!
Liam and Ava. I am so glad Ava got her story! It deserved to be told. The betrayals, the lies, manipulation, pain, and loss had me rooting for Ava every step of the way. And she was no pushover and she was smart and tough. She was married to Liam’s boss and best friend for several years. This is a case of Liam saw her first but Ricardo made the first move on Ava. So Liam pined for her for 10 years before admitting feelings for her.
Liam is protective/possessive and absolutely obsessed with Ava. He went through physical and emotional pain when Ava discovers a secret about her late husband and ultimately pushes Liam away. Don’t worry, we still get the HEA.
This book was unputdownable! Some of the other characters were in this book, but not in an overdone way. And yes everyone’s favorite grump, Bruno, is still grumpy! Now let’s see if I can hold on until the next book comes out.
Liam and Ava. I am so glad Ava got her story! It deserved to be told. The betrayals, the lies, manipulation, pain, and loss had me rooting for Ava every step of the way. And she was no pushover and she was smart and tough. She was married to Liam’s boss and best friend for several years. This is a case of Liam saw her first but Ricardo made the first move on Ava. So Liam pined for her for 10 years before admitting feelings for her.
Liam is protective/possessive and absolutely obsessed with Ava. He went through physical and emotional pain when Ava discovers a secret about her late husband and ultimately pushes Liam away. Don’t worry, we still get the HEA.
This book was unputdownable! Some of the other characters were in this book, but not in an overdone way. And yes everyone’s favorite grump, Bruno, is still grumpy! Now let’s see if I can hold on until the next book comes out.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ava and Liam’s story was one of unrequited love, hate, angst, family drama and deceit that ran deep.
Liam has loved Ava for far too long, but stepped aside when his ‘brother’ Riccardo decided he wanted her, sadly for all the wrong reasons, and Riccardo never deserved nor appreciated Ava.
When the depths of the deceit begin to surface, Ava is living her worst nightmare all over again. With a real and present threat to her family Ava begins to take matters into her own hand, casting Liam aside despite the love they’re building. “Maybe love doesn't arrive all at once. Maybe sometimes it grows in the spaces between anger and longing, between secrets and silence.” And maybe love is ten years in the making.
Thanks to the author for crafting this fabulous story and the opportunity to read and review her work.
Liam has loved Ava for far too long, but stepped aside when his ‘brother’ Riccardo decided he wanted her, sadly for all the wrong reasons, and Riccardo never deserved nor appreciated Ava.
When the depths of the deceit begin to surface, Ava is living her worst nightmare all over again. With a real and present threat to her family Ava begins to take matters into her own hand, casting Liam aside despite the love they’re building. “Maybe love doesn't arrive all at once. Maybe sometimes it grows in the spaces between anger and longing, between secrets and silence.” And maybe love is ten years in the making.
Thanks to the author for crafting this fabulous story and the opportunity to read and review her work.
Review of advance copy
Another great read from Sherry Blake!
I was very lucky to receive this as an ARC and I am never disappointed by her books, this I read in one sitting as the story line is gripping from page one and I needed my next fix after finishing Luca.
You don't need to have read all of the books in order for the characters and plot to make sense.
I'm so glad that they got their HEA after all the many years of tears, disappointments, misunderstandings, secrets and betrayal that had to finally come to light.
This has lots of yearning from the start of the book..................10 years, where is my Liam?!
I was very lucky to receive this as an ARC and I am never disappointed by her books, this I read in one sitting as the story line is gripping from page one and I needed my next fix after finishing Luca.
You don't need to have read all of the books in order for the characters and plot to make sense.
I'm so glad that they got their HEA after all the many years of tears, disappointments, misunderstandings, secrets and betrayal that had to finally come to light.
This has lots of yearning from the start of the book..................10 years, where is my Liam?!
Review of advance copy received from Author
🖤 my review for Ava 🖤
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶
Ahh this mafia series is perfection! 🤌 Ava is book 15 in the Feretti Syndicate and just as fantastic and unputdownable as the rest of the books in the series!
Love the writing! It draws you right in from page one and keeps you entertained and invested! Pace is perfect and the story is phenomenal! The book is descriptive and intense.
There's a few heavy TWs so check those out.
There's so much feeling's in this book and you get to feel all of them with full force! Both MCs have an emotional story to tell and it's gripping, beautiful and the ending is so satisfying.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶🌶🌶
Ahh this mafia series is perfection! 🤌 Ava is book 15 in the Feretti Syndicate and just as fantastic and unputdownable as the rest of the books in the series!
Love the writing! It draws you right in from page one and keeps you entertained and invested! Pace is perfect and the story is phenomenal! The book is descriptive and intense.
There's a few heavy TWs so check those out.
There's so much feeling's in this book and you get to feel all of them with full force! Both MCs have an emotional story to tell and it's gripping, beautiful and the ending is so satisfying.
October 31, 2026
I received an ARC from the author.
I’m obsessed with this universe and I don’t know what will happen when it’s all over. This book was crazy! The twists! I love Ava and Liam and this book checked all the boxes a dark mafia romance should. I can’t wait for Fabio’s story.
“Ten years. Ten bleeping years of wanting this woman from across a room, across a marriage, across a war.”
😍
I’m obsessed with this universe and I don’t know what will happen when it’s all over. This book was crazy! The twists! I love Ava and Liam and this book checked all the boxes a dark mafia romance should. I can’t wait for Fabio’s story.
“Ten years. Ten bleeping years of wanting this woman from across a room, across a marriage, across a war.”
😍
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews