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This Town #1

Run This Town 1

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Ciara Simmons takes her journalism degree and her knife-edged ambition to New York City, where she goes undercover on former playboy Luka Belmonte's mayoral campaign.
She soon learns Luka's darkest to run the city, the charming, seductive son of one of NYC's most famous politicians will have to get in bed with the mafia.
Just like his father did.
Exposing him would be a public service, and guarantee her reputation as a rising star of journalism.
There's just one problem ... she'd rather ride him than ruin him.

***

Luka is determined to shed his party-boy image and ascend to the pinnacle of NYC politics. He'll do whatever it takes, even deal with mobsters.
The one thing he didn't count on was smart, stunning Ciara. Her refusal to throw herself at his feet only makes her sexier.
He knows she's a threat, but all he wants to do is take her for his own—and protect her from harm.
With danger on every side, Luka and Ciara must decide whether to honor old loyalties ... or forge new ones that could cost them everything,

**Run This Town 2, the sequel and conclusion, is out now!**
**Never miss another Sadie Black release. Sign up for her mailing list for new books, promotions and

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 26, 2015

19 people are currently reading
118 people want to read

About the author

Sadie Black

31 books94 followers
Sadie Black is a 30-something author living on the east coast. She's married to a man who isn't a billionaire, but is her happily ever after (and they have four rugrats to prove it).

If she isn't dreaming up steamy romance stories or chasing her children then someone should file a missing person report, because she is always doing one or the other.

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5 stars
38 (35%)
4 stars
33 (30%)
3 stars
28 (26%)
2 stars
6 (5%)
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2 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
Profile Image for B*tchy.
270 reviews53 followers
January 24, 2016
Good, but a bit long-winded and repetitive.

What's a small town girl from Iowa to do in the big city? Obviously keep reminding the viewer that she's a small town girl from Iowa now in the big city. Despite the constant reminders, this story is pretty darn good. The characters are flawed but still realistic, and I enjoyed the story's flow. The final chapters after the big climax seemed to falter, but it did not take much from the overarching story.
Profile Image for Amarie Avant.
Author 53 books661 followers
February 8, 2016
This book had me at the title. What Sadie Black also accomplished was making me root for Luka and Ciara. I love a bad boy, so perhaps I was biased from the start. Oh, and I laughed my butt off at the beginning when Ciara went to dinner with her small town boyfriend.
The secondary characters moved the story all the better, Lukas father was well rounded, and had he mafia flair (that I love and sometimes doesn't get during mafia novels). Toward the end, I was concerned that Ciara would give in to her earlier vow to eff over Luka. But I got my HEA, with a side of eggs.
Profile Image for Lorice DeBlanc-Brim.
1,468 reviews11 followers
January 24, 2018
Love it!👍

I was so not liking Ciara in the beginning. She just seem selfish and too much ambition even if it means hurting or destroying someone else's lineage. But I am highly anticipating the next ebook.
Profile Image for BreakingtheEpigraph.
1,283 reviews14 followers
December 29, 2015
I received an ARC copy of this book. It was not want I was expecting. Luka is portrayed has a playboy who likes to party and do drugs that plans to stop and turn his life around and run for mayor. This was unrealistic to me. Ciara the small town girl who had a boyfriend that she really was not interested. Leaves small town USA to fulfill her dreams in New York City to become a writer. Even though she is portrayed as a smart cookie, had she gotten to work before everyone else she should have realized that she would have still been the coffee girl. Luka's like every child of a man of power when they are not paying attention, idealistic. He should have been aware that he was going to have to do some back scratching if he wanted to win.

The plot of this story did not hold any realism for me, not from Luka. Ciara, yes she had a choice to make love or career and she chose love. I felt something was missing from this story the mob boss was not as a mob boss should have been portrayed. It was lacking realness.
Profile Image for Nene.
1,785 reviews26 followers
January 26, 2016
Good Read

This was a good story , and I am looking forward to see what happens next. I love the two characters and hope marriage and a baby is in their future.
Profile Image for CJLuvsBooks!.
125 reviews7 followers
January 6, 2017
**REVIEW ORIGINALLY POSTED ON AMAZON on 1/2/16**

Full disclosure: I received an ARC for an honest review.

Before I begin my review, I would like to make a comment on the tagline "Mafia Romance". Yes this book is a romance, and the mafia is involved, but in all of the mafia romances I’ve ever read the hero is a Don or a son of a Don, an enforcer or somehow directly involved inside the mob. That is not the case in this book. As a HUGE fan of mafia romances, it surprised me but it didn’t bother me. But I do think that fact should be put out there in case someone was expecting or hoping for that.

I am new to Sadie Black’s work and I would like to begin by saying that I think she’s a wonderful writer. She has a great gift for laying out a scene with just enough detail for the reader to get a good feel for the characters, their environment, and what’s going on inside their heads. To be completely honest I didn’t particularly care for the hero or the heroine, but oddly, that didn’t matter, because the characters’ feelings and motivations were so well written and engaging I found myself interested in them even though, for the most part, I didn’t really like them.

Now story wise, I would rate it as good but I think it could have been better. For example, Luka, our hero is running for mayor of NYC. At one point in the book he is described as having "his thirties rapidly approaching". I struggled a bit with this. Yes, his lack of experience was mentioned in the book, but I don’t think that and his age was enough of a talking point in the campaign. I know it’s a work of fiction, but a man under the age of 30 running for mayor of New York City? It seems a bit unbelievable, and it felt a bit glossed over to me. I personally would have liked a little more meat in that part of the story.

Although the relationship between Ciara and Luka wasn’t exactly “instalove”, it felt a bit rushed for me. Sure the attraction/chemistry was there, but there wasn’t enough story or scenes for me to believe their relationship graduated from like/sexual attraction to love. Especially in regard to Ciara. (Although I could be biased against her, because of the two I liked her the least. )

For those who want to know about the love scenes, there aren’t many but they are well written. I wouldn’t call them smokin’ hot, since this isn’t an erotic romance, but they definitely have a bit of a sizzle.

All in all, I would definitely recommend reading this book. It has a good plot, great pace, and was very well written. I think Sadie Black is a very talented writer and I would definitely read other books by her. I also look forward to the continuation of Luka and Ciara’s story.
22 reviews
May 11, 2017
Great storyline

It was as a great storyline with great exciting characters. Kinda predictable but the slow start kinda helps with that, plus I love how the female lead is strong and independent AND open to love in the book.
Profile Image for Racy.
1,711 reviews16 followers
February 4, 2016
I received this for an honest review. I have read several of Sadie Black’s books and I can honestly say not one has disappointed me. She truly is an amazing author. When I read stories I like to look at the bigger picture in the story. This story is about choses, love, devotion, sacrifice, and doing the right thing. Sometimes in life we need to look at the bigger picture. What might seem to be the right thing at the time might not truly be what is right.

Ciara Simmons a small girl from a small town of Iowa. She had a dream and an vision. She wanted to be a reporter and her dream was going to New York and making it big. She was determined no man was going to stand in her way. There would always be plenty of men but felt there was only one chance at her career. Can she do what ever it takes to make it big?

Luka Belmonte was known as a party boy. He was good-looking and his father had been mayor. Now it was his turn to fulfill the Belmonte name and step up to the roll of running for mayor. He has a lot of obstacles to over come. There will be times in the story when you will shake your head. Luka has to decide how far he will go to complete this dream of being mayor. Does he have what it takes?

Ciara sees a story in Luka. She has is determined to get the story no matter what. The more she gets to know Luka the more her heart gets involved. Her career and her dreams rely on this story. Which is more worth the sacrifice?

Luka when he mets Ciara knows she is special. She is not like most women that he has been with. The more time spent with her the more he feels for her How is he going to react when he finds out what secrets she is hiding?

I so enjoyed this story. But if you know Sadie well enough you know she added a few surprises along the way in her stories. Sorry have to read the story to find out what they are in this book, but trust me you will not be disappointed. I am so looking forward to book two in this story.
Profile Image for Dora Harvey.
1,122 reviews12 followers
December 27, 2015
I received this book as an ARC for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book as well as the characters. This book being a mafia romance was different from the other stories I read from Sadie Black. It was intriguing, but still able to captivate your interests. I thought it was interesting how Luka Belmonte and Ciara Simmons met. I wish there was more storyline into developing more romance between Luka and Ciara when they declared their love for each other, but I think there were more feelings with Luka than Ciara, who seemed kind of cold. Ciara came from a small town in Iowa and she moved to New York to become a successful journalist. Ciara took a journalist undercover assignment in Luka Belmonte’s campaign for mayor to find out damaging information on him or the Belmonte family for the report she was to submit. Ciara felt that no man was going to get in her way to become a successful journalist until she met and became involved with Luka Belmonte. Luka Belmonte was known as a party boy, who was very good looking, and his father had been a mayor of NYC for years. Luka wanted to please his father and show that he can step up to the Belmonte name by running for mayor. While campaigning for mayor, Luka’s temper got him into trouble causing him to ask his father for help. His father contacted Vittore, the Don of the mafia, who was a dark seeded and dangerous individual. Will Luka take his father’s advice and contact Vittore for help, knowing that he is the mafia or will he try to fix the mistake he made because of his temper? What will happen between Luka and Ciara after they have declared their love for each other? Will Luka and Ciara find out each other's secrets? Will Luka be able to become mayor of NYC or will the mafia stop him? I cannot wait to read the second book.
53 reviews
March 10, 2016
I got a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. The story was good and kept up throughout the whole book, not just the beginning and the end like alot of books. The two main characters were similar, in the sense that they were very driven individuals, but with very different aims.
I was a bit unsure of Ciara at first, she was so determined to have her career at the cost of everything else in life, including finding love. Luka was the typical party boy who believed he could what he liked when he liked with no repercussions, because he was going to use his name to get into the political arena, following his fathers success.
It was a slightly strained connection at first, Luka just finding another beautiful woman he had to have, while Ciara had an expose to write. The relationship slowly grew and in the midst of that they each started to question what they were doing. Rather than doing what they felt they had to for their own reasons they wanted to actually do what they believed was the right thing. They showed themselves and each other that with the love and support of the right person, even bad people can change into someone better.
I can't wait for the next one to find out the continuing story.!
53 reviews
March 10, 2016
I got a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. The story was good and kept up throughout the whole book, not just the beginning and the end like alot of books. The two main characters were similar, in the sense that they were very driven individuals, but with very different aims.
I was a bit unsure of Ciara at first, she was so determined to have her career at the cost of everything else in life, including finding love. Luka was the typical party boy who believed he could what he liked when he liked with no repercussions, because he was going to use his name to get into the political arena, following his fathers success.
It was a slightly strained connection at first, Luka just finding another beautiful woman he had to have, while Ciara had an expose to write. The relationship slowly grew and in the midst of that they each started to question what they were doing. Rather than doing what they felt they had to for their own reasons they wanted to actually do what they believed was the right thing. They showed themselves and each other that with the love and support of the right person, even bad people can change into someone better.
I can't wait for the next one to find out the continuing story.!
Profile Image for Lin ( Nerdy Bookworm).
1,049 reviews4 followers
December 26, 2015
I was given this book as an ARC. And asked to give my honest opinion on it, and here it is.

I think the book has an intriguing storyline and I was expecting it from this author due to her talent. I really liked how Luka and Ciara met then progress slowly even though there was instant attraction it wasn't instant love and felt more realistic... There wasn't much history about Ciara; however, she was a journalist attempting to get a hot story on Luka, the hottest playboy running for mayor. Luka father was mayor for twenty or more years but kept his dealing with the mafia a secret from Luka until Luka image needed repairing. Vittore, the Don was a dark and dangerous man with no remorse for his actions. The drama was at an all time high, and the Italian mafia backdrop only heightened it's appeal. Everything that is addressed is very crucial to the storyline and  was inevitable to where this series is eventually going. The readers was left in the dark about Gino's condition after Vittore goons attack him. Overall, I highly recommend this book to everyone and will be looking forward to reading the next one. 
2,670 reviews23 followers
January 7, 2016
A Real Winner

This was a really good story with so much promise.I really loved the beginning when the hero decides to turn over a new leaf and leave all his vices behind.We get that this man comes from a successful family who he later finds out is connected.During this story you will get a real human side of this man (Luka) when he finds out that all that seems good is not.Then he runs into the woman of his heart Ciara,who starts out plotting his down fall and later has a change of heart.This is a compelling and complex romance were a new relationship seems to be in the way or not.I love the passion between these two people you feel chemistry come off the pages.Now where it loses me a little is that we a series of events happening or happen and we are not taken along for the ride.This to me some how takes away from the suspense of the story.Overall this is an excellent story of romance and mystery.Who doesn't like when the mafia is involved.
236 reviews4 followers
February 11, 2016
My rating is actually 3.5 out of 5.

Bad boy turns good mayoral candidate. Wants to honor family name but finds out the family name is mob connected. Will he continue the mob connection or server ties. Falls in love for the first time wants to commit to a relationship only to find that love could be his downfall.
Good girl ambitious to make a name for herself in journalism. She is determine to let nothing stand in her way not a marriage proposal or her first time falling in love. Will she let her ambitious career desires cost her the possible love of her life or will she give it all up for love?

Storyline was good but some areas didn't gel or seemed a little unfinished . But overall a decent read.
Profile Image for Susan.
1,295 reviews21 followers
January 2, 2016
There are many books that you read, and you know how it is going to end at the beginning of the book. This book, I had no idea what was going to happen, but I had to keep reading to find out. Ciara is a journalist that has never put any man before her job. Luka is a past playboy coke user that has changed his stripes as he is .running for mayor of New York. Luka is Ciara's ticket to becoming a real journalist in the city, but can she do it to him? Everything would be just fine, if the mafia was not involved. I received this book for free in return for an honest review. Great writing, Sadie Black! I really enjoyed it, and I am very much looking forward to reading the next book.
Profile Image for Gladys Mills.
1,963 reviews8 followers
December 28, 2015
I received this book as a ARC member for an honest review. I loved the book. The story is clear and understandable. Luka is great and strong. I like how he steps up to his problems and meet them head on. I am glad he went to Ciara and asked her straight out about her job. And I am glad Ciara told him the truth. Honesty is always best. Their love grew after that. I am fearful for their lives the way Vittore was coming after them. What is he planning for them. I can't wait to read the next book?
Profile Image for Michelle.
12 reviews1 follower
January 7, 2016
As a Sadie Black hardcore fan, I am kinda of biased but I liked the male main character. As a fervorous reader, I kind of get let down if I don´t see an evolution of characters and Luka did envolve a lot. He was potrayed as the typical rich guy that meets the independent woman that makes him "wake up" to what his life could be if he continued in his lifestyle. The true redemption of a "bad boy"
Make it a series, please!
148 reviews
January 8, 2016
Who's Running The Town?

The story started with each person having his and her own agendas. Ciara is an ambitious person who has an agenda and will stop at nothing to succeed. She makes a mistake when she obtains Intel about the mafia. Just getting interesting. Can't wait for the next book.
Profile Image for Cheryl   Graham-Petit.
4,124 reviews26 followers
Read
December 27, 2015
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sadie Black weaves a story of suspense, action, secrets, turmoil, romance, and love. Characters are great, the setting was good, and the writing was easy to read and flowed well.
Profile Image for Nancy  L Thompson.
2,158 reviews15 followers
January 9, 2016
Not what I thought .....

I've read several of Me Blacks books and I must say this 1 was lacking. The story line was wrong. He was way to young to make a credible mayor and the story skipped in spots. I have to shake my head on this 1
Profile Image for La'el Richards.
58 reviews
January 26, 2016
This is a Hard One

I absolutely hate Ciara so much, but I am about to read the second book. I have never hated a character so much! Anyway this was a nice read other than the fact I wanted Luka to her the minute he found out her secret.
781 reviews7 followers
February 3, 2016
Too Political?

This was an interesting read. It was based on Luca running for mayor; however, there could have been less politics and more romance. Hoping the next installment will wrap everything up neatly.
Profile Image for Deatrice Farrior.
265 reviews2 followers
March 13, 2016
Run This Town

I loved this story. Luka and Ciara were great together and the love they had for one another was great. I'm glad everything turned out the way it did.

If you're interested in a book that will keep your attention to the end you need to read this.
794 reviews5 followers
December 27, 2015
Good

The storytelling and characters were well developed and entertaining. Although love came a bit too quickly. I could understand how it could happen.
38 reviews
December 30, 2015
Good read

Can not wait for the next installment. Ms Black writing keep you interest. Keep up the good work, good luck!
2,390 reviews3 followers
January 4, 2016
Luka and Ciara will run it, I hope!

Loved the book! Can't wait for the next one Loved chemistry between Luka and Ciara. It had some hot scenes, but not enough of them, lol!
348 reviews4 followers
February 8, 2016
I read Run This Town 1 and 2. I rated both 5 stars. If you like your romance with non stop action these books are for you
1,268 reviews
February 29, 2016
I enjoyed the book and this is a new author for me. I look forward to reading more of what she has to offer.
134 reviews
June 27, 2016
Ready to read next book. I like the growth/development of main characters.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews

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