Making Angel

Mariani Crime Family #1

by Amanda Washington

“Wowza! Making Angel rocked my world. One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. I love the way Amanda can weave a captivating story while pulling me in with the emotion. I recommend her books to anyone!” - New York Times Bestselling Author, Tracey Jane Jackson

Heir to a powerful Las Vegas crime family, D’Angelo Mariani’s survival depends on his ability to prove his value to his father. Forced out of the technology lab and into the underworld, Angel is on the brink of pulling off the impossible when he runs into a captivating humanitarian who changes everything.

Markie Davis is all about compassion, service, and the ultimate adrenaline rush. After a year-long stint volunteering in an African orphanage, she’s in Vegas to check up on her wayward little sister. Markie never anticipated meeting someone like Angel.

Everyone knows Angel's family is dangerous, but the secrets Markie's been keeping might just be fatal…

Genres: Romance, Mystery Thriller, Mystery, Crime, Fiction

264 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 10, 2015

About the author

Amanda Washington is a lover of animals, books, dark chocolate, and red wine. She's always up for a good adventure (real or fictional), and when she's not building imaginary worlds, she's dipping her toes into reality in southwest Washington with her husband and their boys.

http://www.amandawashington.net/ - Website
https://www.facebook.com/AmandaWashin... - Facebook author page
@AmandaWash - twitter

Reviews

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love crime fiction, especially with the mafia. I guess that lifestyle just seems so crazy to me that it's fascinating to read about. It's hard to imagine that anyone's lives are really like that.

Angel is a character that is easy to endear to. I felt bad for his situation but admired how he handled things. How he was truly a good person and tried his best to do good and not always follow his fathers orders. I admired his strength in tough situations.

I also liked Markie a lot. From the beginning I felt there were some secrets about her we needed to unravel and I enjoyed that mystery and trying to predict things. I never did though and was very surprised at the twist in regards to her. I loved that she was so dedicated to causes and helping others.

The romance in this was sweet. They are truly an unlikely couple and it was fun watching things unfold between them. Even though it's an instant attraction between them the romance unfolds slowly. It's also a clean romance, which I enjoyed.

There is some rather nasty business because of the family business. Obviously some people are going to die and some scary things are going to happen, so there is violence, but not a ton and it's certainly not the focus. Overall this is a pretty clean novel and I liked that.

Another thing I want to mention is that we see the good and bad of the family. We meet characters that are easy to like and then we may see something that almost shocks us because they didn't seem bad. Also Angel's family is pretty entertaining and I enjoyed every moment we spent with them.

This was a very enjoyable read that has me anxious to read more. It has a great full conclusion so no cliffhanger (yay!). I recommend!

You can find this review on my blog at http://www.candacesbookblog.com (11/9/15) as well as others like it.

[Trudy Dowling · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite authors asked me to read and review this book. I can’t express my thanks enough. If she hadn’t asked, I don’t think I would have ever read it. I usually avoid the Mafia genre. I have never been able to get into it until now. I absorbed Making Angel. I lived the Markie. I lost count of how many times steam came from my ears, how many times I wanted to scream “What the (you get the idea)”, and how many times I wanted to scream Run, Angel, Run.
I had planned on just skimming the book when it showed up, after all I have until November 10 to finish it. I wanted to know what I had gotten myself into—I didn’t know the author (that has been rectified), I hadn’t heard of the book (now I am dying for book 2), and I dislike books dealing with the mafia—not so much anymore. So much for skimming. I found myself frustrated when family members interrupted my reading.
Markie has just arrived in Vegas from working in an orphanage in Africa. Her new mission-find her sister, Ari. Actually her first mission—pizza. Out of character, Angel asks her to join them. Dinner soon ends when duty calls. How could you not love a woman that passes out the extra pizza to strangers in the airport. Angel felt safe in the fantasy of Markie, a woman he would never see or could never have.
Until he saw her again. Fate keeps throwing them together. Angel’s struggle ripped out my heart. Markie’s secret had my mouth hitting the ground. Markie’s secret brought tears I didn’t expect. Angel’s father saw an opportunity to manipulate a son that really didn’t want to lead the family. Thankfully, Nonna saw true love. Thankfully, Nonna had the ability to help Angel and save Markie.
What would a mafia book be without threats, shootings, death, shady deals, and conspiracies? Don’t worry you will find them all in Making Angel. The traitor surprised me. The reason left me dumbfounded.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In ‘Making Angel’ we meet Angel. Angel is the son of a powerful Las Vegas mafia family. To survive, Angel is forced to do what his father tells him to. But unlike his family, Angel isn’t really interested in being the heir of the Mariani’s family business. Angel sees no other way than to do what he is told. That is until he meets Markie.
Markie Davis just got back from her work in an African orphanage. Markie isn’t your average kind of woman and she has a big secret.

I really enjoyed this book from the moment I started reading it. This book is easy to read and I loved getting to know the main characters. The writing was captivating and I just didn’t want this book to end. It also just had the perfect combination of genres. There was mystery, romance and action. Really a fun read I would recommend to other readers.

The main character Angel is really easy to love. Angel is stuck in a family who has very different ideas of life than he has himself. But Angel loves his family above all and he feels like he doesn’t have a choice but to help his family out. I loved this part about him, but especially the way he also stayed true to himself. Awesome!
Markie also is a great character. She is a little mysterious and has this big secret that I really couldn’t wait to find out about. Markie brought a lot of mystery to this book and she just had something about her I really loved.

The romance between Angel and Markie was sweet and really enjoyable to read about. I loved these characters together and I was totally rooting for them.
The mafia part was also really fun and entertaining. There are shootings, deaths and really strange business deals but it was also light in a way that makes you feel for the family.

This book definitely made me want to read more about the Mariani family.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this story. The characters were great, both with conflicts that would keep them apart. Great resolution. It is obvious that there is a book 2 but didn’t leave everything hanging. Good job.

[Izzie d · Rating 4 out of 5]

Angel and Markie.
This is such a good book.
It is mafia but it is also sweet and quite an emotional read.
The extra characters are great.

[Benjamin Spurlock · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Full disclosure: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review; further, I've edited for Amanda in the past, and I consider her a friend of mine.)

"Making Angel" is a bit of a departure from Amanda Washington's previous works. Both "Chronicles of the Broken" and "Perseverance" were firmly in the Christian fiction genre, and dealt with the subject of faith under incredibly difficult circumstances. "Making Angel" is not that kind of story. So, those who are expecting more of the same are likely to be disappointed.

For those who are willing to read this story on its own merits, though, I don't think there will be any cause for disappointment. "Making Angel" is, at its core, a love story. Obviously, the love between Markie and Angel is front and center, but there are other loves, too. The love of two childhood friends, willing to stand against the world if that's what it takes. The love of sisters, trying to look out for each other. The love of family, however twisted and infuriating it may be. The love of power and position, even the love of civilization, whatever means are necessary to preserve it. In the end, the main love is that of life, and that's likely the best love of all to focus on.

To give a short synopsis, Angel is the son and heir of the Mariani family, one of the Mafia-like Families who essentially run Las Vegas. He's not a good fit for it, though, preferring instead to focus on his tech geekery. Markie, on the other hand, is a woman just back from Africa, who combines a zest for life with a perspective altered from her experiences. Unlike most of the people Angel knows, she is authentic, and he finds himself falling for that. As a romance story, it works very well. This coming from someone who doesn't much care for romance, generally speaking!

That said, the Mariani family is soon attacked by a family even more evil and vicious than themselves, and Angel's talents are required to fight against them. So, the obvious question arises- will Angel stay with his family, or not?

The only major complaint I have about this book is that it takes a long time to get going. A long, long time. I understand that romance stories do take awhile to build, and there's backstory and such to explain, but... personally, I would have preferred for more of the Family plot to happen earlier, and have more of an equal billing with the romance.

That said, I did like this story in the end, and anyone who looks for what I've been talking about will almost certainly like it, as well.

[Mike Siedschlag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Making Angel (Mariani Crime Family #1) penned (Digitized?) by Amanda Washington was given to me in e-format by the author for review.

First I must say, Amanda Washington is a very clever (maybe even sneaky) author. She managed o weave a romance into a Mafia story. We all know I'm not much for straight-up romance stories. Making Angel is a terrific blend of action/adventure and romance.

Going strictly off the title, I expected "Angel" to be a female (yeah I know, sexist old fart) so I started the book surprised, yep, Angel is a guy (D'Angelo). No secret now, Making Angel is not your typical shoot-em up mafia story. It is a well rounded tale of crime, technology, familial loyalty and yes, romance.

Our hero is a very like-able guy, especially considering his place in the local Vegas mafia hierarchy. Even though a strong story-line is the romance he becomes involved in, I enjoyed the almost equally strong "buddy" story-line (Angel and his body guard Bones).

The characters are well developed and believable. It would be easy to fall into the genre stereotypes of mafia characters. Ms. Washington deftly combines in Angel, confidence and business acumen with almost schoolboy goofiness and ineptitude in matters romantic. I find this a much more appealing character than a suave, does everything right, seducer of women.

Making Angel, although full of drama, life and death situations, deep emotional conflicts, violence, crime and corruption, is still able to leave the reader with a light-hearted feeling. I think that is a testament to the authors ability to tell a good story.

Making Angel (Mariani Crime Family #1) is actually the second book (numerically) in the Mariani Crime Family trilogy. Book 0 may be a "prequel" who knows. I do know that the installment I read was very good, so I expect the rest is as well.

If you are more concerned with reading a well told story than what specific genre it occupies, Making Angel is the book for you. Enjoy!


Mike

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

An author I read very often asked me to read a book written by someone else. I'm so glad I took her up on it otherwise, I would never have read this book. It's not my usual read at all. I got started with this book and I couldn't put it down. I don't think I've read any book that involved a mafia family. It was sizzling, full of romance and unexpected twists and turns. I would love to read any follow up book this author may write. Since she labeled the book Mariani Crime Family #1, I'm going to be watching out for book #2. It was a real pleasure to read this authors work, she isn't predictable and she writes characters that become very real to you as you read about them. You end up caring about what happens to them. I really do recommend this read if you are looking for something different, unpredictable.

Here is the description as found here on Good Reads: “Wowza! Making Angel rocked my world. One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. I love the way Amanda can weave a captivating story while pulling me in with the emotion. I recommend her books to anyone!” - New York Times Bestselling Author, Tracey Jane Jackson

Heir to a powerful Las Vegas crime family, D’Angelo Mariani’s survival depends on his ability to prove his value to his father. Forced out of the technology lab and into the underworld, Angel is on the brink of pulling off the impossible when he runs into a captivating humanitarian who changes everything.

Markie Davis is all about compassion, service, and the ultimate adrenaline rush. After a year-long stint volunteering in an African orphanage, she’s in Vegas to check up on her wayward little sister. Markie never anticipated meeting someone like Angel.

Everyone knows Angel's family is dangerous, but the secrets Markie's been keeping might just be fatal… (

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ahhhh, the allure of the bad boy. It's a call that I am quite familiar with. The bad boys just seem to have a certain . . . something about them. Whether we, as women, feel that we can change them or expose their deep down heart of gold, the bad boy just seems to be magnetic.

D’Angelo Mariani, known as Angel, seems to be a bad boy, but there's something different about him. He's a techie trying to make his father proud, but the world Angel's father inhabits is full of too much violence for Angel's taste. The power that entices so many to live the life promised by the mob just doesn't seem to tantalize the first-born son of one of the most powerful crime families in Las Vegas. What does tantalize Angel is the beautiful young woman he meets at the airport.

Markie is returning home after spending time in Africa caring for orphans. She's drawn to the handsome Angel, too, but both of them have their secrets. Markie and Angel both know they should stay away from each other, but neither one can really make the break. Will the secrets Markie and Angel harbor be the final nail in the coffin of their budding romance? Or will they be the thing that solidifies their bond once and for all?

I enjoyed Amanda Washington's Making Angel. Her characters, which could have easily been cliched cut-outs of mafiosos, have depth and dimension and pull her story off the page. The relationship between Angel and his "muscle man," Bones, is characterized by humor and a brotherly devotion to one another. I was caught off guard at the twist in the story, just when I thought I knew what would happen next. Making Angel is a quick read. I was often tempted to keep reading - just one more chapter - long after my eyes longed for sleep; a true credit to the story and the author.

[Amazeballs Book Addicts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying, I really am not a fan of mafia, however this book was recommended by a friend and author so I thought I would give it a try. I'm really glad I did give this one a chance. While I wasn't in love with it, I was definitely drawn into it. I really, really love the main characters, Angel and Markie as well as the secondary characters, Bones and Ari. I sat down with this book and read it in one sitting. I have to give mad props to Ms. Washington because as I said I'm not a mafia girl. Angel is the heir to one of the biggest crime families. He really doesn't want to take over but feels like he has no choice and in walks Markie. I love that it wasn't an instalove situation and they really build up to a relationship. Markie has a secret and it's one I definitely was not expecting. There actually were a few things that happen that I was not expecting and for me that makes a book good. It wasn't predictable and I really like that. I'm really interested to see what comes next and really hope that she is writing Bones' book. I give this one 4 AMAZEBALLS stars. A copy was gifted in exchange for an honest review.

Review by Tabitha

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG! that was AWESOME! action packed! exciting! thrilling! hilarious and heart-jerking! some sappy, lovey-dovey, chick-flick scenes ;) (semi-quoting Angel) I LOVED it! I can't wait to read Bones!!!

not really slow to begin with, not drawn out but long...definitely different, not used to a "behind the scenes" mob story, but it was good! so good! I'm not a fan of first person with how some handle how it's written, but Amanda did an awesome job and I didn't get annoyed by the verbiage used. VERY well written! I LOVED IT! the action, the thrill! the "OMG NO!" parts! nearly cried, but kept pushing through because I KNEW it had to have an HEA! it was so much fun! even with all the sketchy actions...(those were the situations that sucked, but necessary for the story, the parts that I wasn't sure I wanted to keep reading but I kept reading because I liked the story and how Angel grew and changed) Angel and Bones were comical, hilarious and down right intriguing!!! I couldn't seem to stop reading once I got past the long start(kind of like a long backstory) it just kept getting better! even during the scary parts!!!

[Pabbro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I absolutely loved Angel. He's a mobster with a conscious and a heart. What a refreshing change from the usual mafia books I read. I thought I miss the explicit sex, violence and gore. But no, because the writing was that good it held my interest and kept me entertained. I loved Bones! He's everything I would want in a bodyguard and best friend. Markie was a great heroine as well. She was smart, witty and loving. She also had a huge heart which she shared with everyone she came in contact with. She loved to help the orphan kids and the homeless. Overall this was a really good book. It has your violence and your suspense/mystery to keep you turning the pages. But it also has the romance to melt your heart. It gets a two thumbs up from me. My only advice to the author would be to next time add an epilogue. I would love to know where Angel and Markie end up. Other than that, good read!!

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written account about the grooming of a Mafia Boss in waiting. Good characterizations with defined details that allowed me to connect with these people. This is my first book from this author and I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked it. This was because even the dark area's of the story didn't offend as can be the case with a Mafia story that usually includes raw violence. I was totally captivated by the individuals who where sometimes funny and at other times serious in their endeavours within this Las Vegas Famiglia. I will certainly read more from this talented writer......

[CommonBookSense · Rating 5 out of 5]

Making Angel is simply one of those books that will make you remember why you're obsessed with reading (that is, if you're anything like me...and have your nose stuck in some kind of book every chance you get). I might be a little obsessed with the Mariani Crime Family Series, and I'm okay with that. Amanda Washington created characters that are easy to love, and a story that you never want to end.

You can find this review (and many more) here, on the CommonBookSense blog!

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

In an Oyster Shell - A unique mob story with an unexpected ending. You don't read a story like this every day, I recommend it.

The Pearls - I was excited to read this book because I have read other books from this author. Every book and series is unique so anything you read of hers - is unexpected. This book was no different.

Full Review: Writing Pearls

[Roslyn McFarland · Rating 5 out of 5]

An old theme told in a new fun way!

Everything this author writes has an unexpected edge and twist, and this book depicting the ins and outs of a couple traversing the intrigues of a mafia crime family is no exception to the rule. As good as anything published through the big dogs, I highly recommend it!

[Cindy Wilber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first of a series. It is the story of Angel and Markie. Angel's dad is a dom and Angel is a techie. Markie is a volenteer just coming home from Afarica and meets Angel. She keeps getting migraines and knows the reason why but won't share with anyone. Find out what her secret is and if it can be fixed. Great read.

[Bette Lentz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would I like it?

This book is so different from my usual read, but I found it to be very good. The Mariano Crime Family is not my idea of a happy, loving family. Getting to know Angel and Bones was interesting, well written and intriguing. I look forward to follow them in future books.

[chelepissbcglobal.net · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED THIS BOOK.

I absolutely couldn't put this book down once I started reading it. The characters were well developed and the story flowed flawlessly. Didn't want this book to end. If you're looking for a great book read this one.

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome beginni g to a great series

Fast moving. The book and characters become quickly familiar. Nonna brings the matriarch to the forefront and establishes a great strong character and possibly driving force.

[Tracey Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED this book. I adored Angel and Amanda captured his struggle beautifully. Markie was the perfect girl for him and their love story is fabulous!

[Norma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who's a thunk I'd fall into a mafia book?

But I did, and hard! Markie has a heart of gold and she helps Angelo find his. Can they escape the family? Read on to find out.

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I never really connected to the two lead characters the way I wanted to. I was not expecting the twist at the end, so that is always a plus.

[Angel Bare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written

Though it was well written w\ a good plot, for me it took too long to take off to keep my interest, but once it did, I enjoyed the story.