Reaper's Wrath: A Mafia Captive Romance tribute to The Princess Bride

by Jill Ramsower

Kidnapped from her wedding by a man she thought was dead…

Elio
Isa thinks a childhood friend has come to save her.
She has no idea I’m his identical twin.

Everyone from my past thinks I was killed, and in a way, I was.
I’m not the same boy who was abducted, but the monster he became.

A man so lethal, I’m now known as … the Reaper.

I’ve returned for a single purpose, and it isn’t to save Isa.
I’m here to claim her…


A tribute to the 1987 film The Princess Bride, Reaper’s Wrath is a mafia captive adventure romance by Amazon Top 35 Bestselling author Jill Ramsower.


What to expect in Reaper’s Wrath:
- Second chance
- Amnesia
- Kidnapped/Forced Proximity
- Tragic past
- Touch her and die
- Has an HEA
- Can be read as a standalone
- Dual POV
- Content warnings— Loss of loved one, infertility and pregnancy issues, reference to child SA/trafficking

Note from the Author: For those of you who are new to me, I write what I'd call "mafia lite." My heroes are hardened criminals with soft spots for their heroines. There may be violence and cruelty in my books, but never between the main characters. Enjoy!

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Mafia Romance

Paperback

Expected publication October 21, 2026

About the author

Jill is a Texan, born and raised. She manages the hectic social calendars for her three active children and occasionally spends an evening with her dashing husband. Aside from being an author and a mom, she's a travel junkie and loves to read when she is not lost in her own stories.

With Jill’s books, you can count on confident heroines, plenty of steamy tension, and deliciously assertive leading men. There are no guarantees in life, but with her books, you know everything will work out in the end. However, a perfect ending would not be nearly as satisfying without a seemingly insurmountable challenge. Jill loves to add plenty of adversity in her stories, creating unforgettably dynamic characters and sneaky plot twists you will never see coming.

Find her on Facebook here-->https://www.facebook.com/jillramsower...
Never miss a release! Sign up for her newsletter here-->https://jillramsower_234b.gr8.com/
Check out her website here-->https://www.jillramsower.com/

Reviews

[Alyssa]

ARC Review

Elio and Isa absolutely broke my heart. These two have endured so much pain and loss, and their pasts are heartbreaking in completely different ways. Isa’s trauma after the devastating car wreck and the loss of her child had me hurting for her, while Elio’s kidnapping at just 17 years old showed how cruelly his life was stolen from him. The fact that he was able to find his family again after everything he survived was emotional enough, but watching him and D rebuild their bond as twins made it even more special. Beneath the darkness, violence, and heartbreak, this story is about survival, family, healing, and finding love when life has given you every reason to stop believing in it. Elio and Isa deserved so much happiness after everything they went through, and I was rooting for them every step of the way. 🖤😭

[Jenn the Readaholic]

This was absolutely excellent! Elio delivers everything I wanted, everything I needed, and more that I didn’t realize I was waiting to find out, while Isa brings the sugar and sprinkles with the cherry on top. I mean, they both made me so sad at times, mainly because of the cruel twists of manipulative men that kept them apart for so long, as well as the worry that one or both of them was imagining things, but I can confirm that every second of angst is well worth it in the end.

Add in some much-loved references and lines that never get old, as well as the truth of how all came to be as it is now, and I was hooked from the very start. I do wonder about a certain gentle giant and how he’ll pop up again, but I think I can be patient enough to wait to see what comes next.

[Eva]

What a finale!

I’d been waiting for Elio’s book since meeting the Reaper…without knowing who he was. The hidden identity reveal was so good.

This book had a bit of everything, angst, second chance, jealousy, and a very hooking plot that wrapped up the mafia connections and problems from past book.

Elio was complicated. His past was terrible and he thought he was betrayed by those he loved most, but he had to fight for the truth and I’m happy he had not only his girl, but also his family waiting on the other side.

Isa? She was a fighter. After all the pain she went through, she was never bitter. She was always true to herself and loyal to a fault. Her friendship with the girls was so sweet. And how her romance with Elio bloomed again even in those circumstances, just went to show how much they meant to each other.

Jill, thank you so much for the arc!

[Romance_book_obsessed]

Thank you to the author and Valentine PR for this ARC 🫶🏻

Isa is entering a marriage for an alliance. She’s had a life of tragedy and doesn’t have interest in romance. When a man she thought was dead captures her and takes her onto his boat, she’s oddly attracted to him!

Elio and Isa were in love 20 years ago, but there was an incident capturing Elio. He is ready to take his love back before she’s married off, but she doesn’t remember their romance! She knows he is her friend’s twin and feels attraction, but has no memory of them before!

As there are mysteries and secrets to uncover, Elio is hoping her memories return! Their HEA is well deserved!

Spoilers for trigger warnings!
Pregnancy loss
Infertility
Trafficking

[Brooke Chambers]

Thank you HambrightPR and Jill Ramsower for the ARC!
This was sooooo good!
The little bits of princess bride bleeding through this mafia story worked so well.
Like modern day pirates!
Elio and Isa were perfect!
I don’t want to give any spoilers but let’s just say I was very satisfied with how the open plots were closed up neatly!
🌶️🌶️
❤️❤️❤️

[Susan]

Wow! What a read! I would consider this a dark emotional read as kidnapping and human trafficking are at play here. My heart went out to Elio and all he endured after he was taken. Lord, very heartbreaking. I would consider this a very slow slow burn, but given the storyline, it made total sense. This was a dark, second chance romance that I'd certainly recommend. It was great that El and Isa could find their way back to one another!

[Kaity]

Isa and Elio’s story was a complete surprise. Their chemistry was insane and once a twist was unearthed it made so much sense and further heightened their connection. And the spice, it was such a long burn, yet so damn hawt.

I loved the twists and surprises. It was a perfect ending to a great series.

Thank you Jill and Valentine PR for an advanced copy.

[Patricia (Spellbound Stories Trish)]

Early beta read and YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK!
More of a review to come but be prepared for one an exhilarating emotional story that will have you falling for the morally grey hero!

[Bookshelfofasahm]

Reaper’s Wrath was the perfect addition to this series. I’ve never read the amnesia trope before and it was something I didn’t know I needed until now. I’m utterly obsessed with Isa and Elio!

Isa has agreed to an arraigned marriage to form an alliance. She has no interest in romance so she thinks this is the perfect way to help her family. What she doesn’t know is that a man from her past who she thinks is dead comes and captures her on her wedding day and takes her on his boat and the last thing she ever thinks happens.. she’s attracted to her captor.

Elio also known as the reaper comes back to the US after 20 years. He was involved in an incident where he was kidnapped at a young age. Elio and Isa were madly in love when they were teenagers. When he comes back and takes Isa he’s expecting a certain reaction from her but it isn’t the reaction he gets. What they both don’t know is that she doesn’t remember the relationship they had at all. The only thing she knows is that its her friends twin brother and she is oddly attracted to him.

This book is full of secrets and things to uncover and watching Elio try and help Isa get her memories back. The chemistry and tension between Elio and Isa was everything. This book was everything I didn’t know I needed and I’m actually obsessed.

Thank you so much Jill for this early copy!!

[PerrieLee]

I absolutely loved Reaper's Wrath.

When I tell you I could not put this book down. I think the author might owe me a box of Kleenex, I cried so hard reading this.

Elio Farina, the mmc, is DiAngelo's long believed dead identical twin. Having just read D's book, the loss they both went through was so heartbreaking.

Isa Costa, the fmc, is Elio's match in the best way.
Isa and Elio have both been through so much, it made me heart hurt. I was so happy they found their way back to one another.

Reaper's Wrath was a wonderful mix of slow burn, second chances, "touch her and die", boy obsessed, steamy open door scenes, swashbuckling pirates, mafia lite, and found family. Then throw in characters who overcame extraordinary hurt, so much loss, amnesia, and still found their way home. Can a book get any better than that?

Reaper's Wrath was brilliantly written, the character's were so easy to connect to, and the story kept me so invested. Plus, the secondary characters were so good, I'm literally about to start Michael & Evie's story, Guilty Stars, now.

This is the kind of book where going in semi-blind is the best way to read it. Definitely read Hunter's Keep first. I think Elio's story hits extra hard when you've read DiAngelo's pov first.
This is an honest review. I received an arc from The Smuthood.

[Nicole Nielsen]

This book is everything I hoped for and more. I was confused in the beginning, excited in the middle, crying by the end (that it was over). I am obsessed with protective af Elio and sweet as can be Isa. I love the dynamic of capter/captee (SORRY!!! ITS MY FAVE!). But him still being so sweet with Isa and treats her like shes made of gold.

The plot of this book is RICH. Make sure to go back and get some background knowledge of past chracters, because they pop in and add to the story!

My personal favorite part of this book is Elio. I love his character, his villian arc, and how he has become the man he is today. It iwas so interesting to read and get inside his head! With all that he has been through, he still had so much love to give to Isa and I loved that!

This was a 5 star read. I loved how complex it was and how different it was!

Thank you to Jill and Smuthood for this arc! <3

[Carrie]

Omh omh omh!!! This story is FANTASTIC!!

If you're like the author - & me! - & are a fan of The Princess Bride, you'll have a lot of smiles reading this. If you haven't read/seen TPB (*side eyes Brynne*), do it!! 😄 But also, I still highly recommend this story bc it's soooo good!!

Elio & Isla are childhood sweethearts, ripped apart by several unexpected things. Parts of their stories are heartbreaking. But their connection is never truly severed. We get glimpses into the past, which can sometimes be annoying for me, but these were written so well! I was invested rather than annoyed. ❤️

This story was highly entertaining & I adored Elio, Isla, and their families - found, blood, built. There's humor, danger, suspense, steam, and a whole lotta love!

😍😍😍

[Jenni]

Isa's mind was set, she was to marry a stranger to form an alliance and save another woman the heartbreak of a forced marriage, she never planned to marry, not after the suffering several heavy loses.
Elio was long thought dead, DiAngelos identical twin whose death he blamed himself for. Only Elio was taken, he survived, but is left scarred and filled with revenge, he became the Reaper taking down trafficking rings. When Elio learns Isa is to be married he comes back to claim her bringing past and present colliding together, with shock revelations, twists and more! Well written engaging steamy desires drama action and more

[GKP2460]

It's absolutely no secret that I love these Moretti Men and Reaper's Wrath just may be my favorite! Elio and Isa's story just ripped my heart out of my chest and put it right back in place perfectly. This is a poignant, beautiful, love story twenty years in the making with this couple. There's tragedy and triumph, soooo much tragedy and I felt every bit of it. But there's also love and redemption in this fantastic second chance journey. Make no mistake, it's a dark read in some aspects and this author has beautifully blended every element of their journey perfectly, just as she always does. A definite must read!

[Bookbakeneko]

𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬
𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙥𝙚𝙧’𝙨 𝙒𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙝
21 𝙊𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙗𝙚𝙧

So many of my fave tropes in one book! Of course, there’s morally grey Elio, kidnapping his first love, Isa, 20 years after everyone thought he was dead.

What follows is a wonderfully dangerous, perfectly swoony and sultry read that had all the second-chance romance lovers standing up and clapping!

You can’t help but root for these two as they overcome so much to find their way back to each other. Their story had me hooked, and Elio? Well, morally grey men who would burn the world down for their woman will ALWAYS have my attention!

[Reading In the Red Room]

Isa and Elio story was sweet, emotional and a long time coming. This was there story a story of secrets, a few twin and turns and most of all a love that was meant to be. Yes several obstacles had to be overcome but they eventually got there…where they deserved. This well layered story took us on that journey. A journey of suspense, danger and everything in between.

[Sydney]

It's been a long time since I've read a kidnapping book and I really enjoyed this one. It's different and while it sucked I liked that she had amnesia. It allowed them to build a new relationship.

I received an arc from valentine pr.

[Ashley Cole]

This was such a good series and such a great ending to the series as well! I am not usually one to be a fan of the amnesia trope but this was done so well! Their chemistry and tension was great and I just loved everything about this! You can never go wrong with a Jill book and of course a second chance romance!

Thank you so much to Jill and Hambright PR for this early copy!

[Annie Vance]

Another wonderful addition to the series!

Second Chance after heartbreak and amnesia (a trope I didn't know I needed).
Jill can absolutely write a solid banger of a book with realistic topics...most involving heartbreak and heartaches, but realistic all the same.

[Bryanna]

Alpha read :)

[Amanda]

RTC