Closer Than Blood

Closer Than Blood #1-3

by Jayne Lockwood

Forbidden passion, blackmail and murderous intent in the cold, glittering heart of Manhattan.

Against his better judgement, slick, pansexual hitman Frank Mancini falls for the sultry sister of his latest client. He is hiding a dark secret, and intends to seduce her before his past is revealed.

Tony Freemantle’s last wish is to seek vengeance on the half-brother he blames for his misfortunes. He’s never met him. He doesn’t even know what he looks like. All he knows is that he wants him dead.

Pagan Freemantle is the innocent woman unwillingly caught up in her sibling’s deadly plan. When she discovers she has to pay for the hit, her attempts to make a deal throws her headlong into a dangerous attraction with a man who is patently bad news.

And can she trust Richard Mason, the elusive millionaire half-brother who is just a seductive voice at the end of a telephone? When a road trip to California ends with shocking revelations, it seems she can trust no-one but herself.

Genres: Romantic Suspense, Suspense, Contemporary Romance

475 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2013

About the author

Jayne Lockwood, AKA Lady Jaguar, is an English writer of deliciously dark romance featuring queer and straight protagonists. She’s a firm believer in happy endings. To find out more, visit https://www.jaynelockwood.com

There are no rules to her writing, apart from needing an HEA. She cannot write a story without one. Her characters are a diverse mix of gender and sexuality. Basically, she writes what she enjoys and hope people like it!

Reviews

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this trilogy! It draws you in and keeps your attention. I loved the characters! Very well described. The story was non stop action. I highly recommend this story. Five stars from me!

[J.C. Seal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once you start, this series has you hooked until you finished all three books 😍
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Closer than Blood, book one
gets five burning hearts ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥 from me.
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📕Book one “Obsession” drops us right into intrigue, family feud and attempted murder.
Greed as motive to hire a Mafia killer isn’t new. What followed next took me totally by surprise! Pagan tries to stop her brother Tony’s deceit and contacts the assassin.
At that point, the story picks up speed and won’t let you go. You get pulled into the world of shadows right along with Pagan and Frank Mancini, the hired killer.
Will she manage to convince him to spare the victim? Will she pay the price required to pacify Frank’s lust for blood, and other things, or is what he requests beyond her ability to give?
Her try to warn her elusive half-brother Richard of the danger ends in a shocking revelation I (almost) didn’t see coming. Look closely for the hidden hint 😉
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❤️‍🔥I couldn’t help but root for Frank. It just happened. This guy isn’t just a dumb, hired assassin. There’s so much more hidden beneath the surface. Cold blooded and in control, but also a man full of emotions, desires, hurt and pain, desperately longing for love that was denied him.
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😇I liked Pagan the “honorable”, her sense of justice, trying to save an innocent life even if it might send her stumbling onto the road to darkness in the end.
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👿I hated Tony from the moment of appearance. The perfect product and mirror of today’s rotten, selfish society.
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Definitely a captivating read that didn’t let me go, but made me continue with part two right away 😍
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Closer than Blood, book two
gets five aching hearts ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹 from me.
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📗Book two “Possession” starts several years after book one. Protagonist Pagan is married, and son Tino is three already. After getting her heart crushed, she had returned to England and met Greg. Being the complete opposite of Frank Mancini, she felt safe with him…
But is safe really what Pagan desires?
After Greg gets a job offer in the US at her half-brother’s business, things rapidly begin to deteriorate.
😮The strained relationship to her half brother Richard gets even more erratic.
😮Gino is troubled, wetting his bed, suddenly afraid of monsters.
😮And Greg? Is there another, ulterior motive for marrying Pagan, that has nothing to do with love?
❤️‍🩹This book is packed with deceit, double plays, politics, murder and shocking revelations.
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😢 I really felt sorry for Pagan. Again, her utmost wish for family, safety and love seems to get crushed by forces out of her control. Will Pagan drown in the waves crashing down over her head, or will she be able to leave her - once more - crumbling world behind and come up victorious?
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😱 Richard is used to pull the strings in big business, but the events he sets in motion soon get too much for him to handle this time. Has he summoned the danger that will be his, and his whole family’s downfall?
Find out in this page-turning read, but beware of the cliffhanger. There’s more to come 😉😉😉
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Closer than Blood, book three
gets five 🧨🧨🧨🧨🧨 explosive stars for an explosive finale 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
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📘Book three “Surrender” starts right where book two ends. Things are still in shambles, and the danger is getting closer. The mafia is on Richard’s tail, while he has been fired as CEO, greatly diminishing his influence. The only one able to fix this is Frank Mancini. But, is the elusive hitman willing to return to save Pagan, Richard and Gino?
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Pagan explained the situation quite correctly:
👀 ~~‘I’m looking for someone,’ she replied, watching him closely.
‘Who?’
‘Franco Giancarlo Mancini, the man I fell in love with.’
‘Why?’
‘Because there is only one way to deal with people like Carlotti. The Mancini way.’~~ 🔪🚬
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I won’t spoil what will happen, just know one thing. While Richard does his utmost to keep Pagan and Gino safe, Pagan tries everything to help and gets herself in big trouble on the way. Add an ex-husband, two turncoat muscles, an illegitimate daughter and a transgender lady to the mix, and you get a crate full of explosives, ready to blow at the smallest spark ⚡️💥💣🧨
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The question is, will Pagan and her family blow up together with the rest, or will they survive and be victorious in the end?
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I’m not gonna tell 🤣. Read the books. All three. I dare you to find out yourself 🧐😉

[Storm Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

This will sound weird but this book has some strong themes including murder and incest but it’s not a super dark read.

Closer Than Blood is a saga style novel covering about ten years in the lives of Pagan Freemantle and her very dysfunctional family. While Pagan is a straight up normal career woman, her brothers are involved in organised crime. They drag her into their world, and the story starts there.

I can’t describe any part of the plot without giving away spoilers. Let’s say it’s well written, and there’s loads of action. The plot is twisty and curves nicely over three full length novels. The sex scenes are well described but the kills and the violence are more inferred than in-your-face graphic.

If you love classics like The Godfather and news books like those by indie author Vanessa Waltz, you’ll like this.

[Kristi Cramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this a while ago, and thought I had posted a review, but I can't find it anywhere. So I'll give the quick and dirty version of it. Closer Than Blood is a dark romp through forbidden territory. There are twists and turns, drunken nights and passion-filled trysts. I don't want to give anything away, but suffice to say, if you like dark-ish reads with a taste of the forbidden, with plenty of spicy sex - and you don't mind a bit of violence or rough language - you will enjoy this book. Very well written and the plot is thoroughly thought out. Read it today!

[Jodie Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pagan’s life isn’t as she expected, her useless brother was a drain and when he brings Frank into their lives, things get a whole lot more complicated. Tony, the brother, is a waste of space who wants revenge for all the wrong reasons and hires Frank to kill their other half brother, Richard. There are secrets and lies which unravel and things take a dark twisted turn.

Eventually Pagan married Greg, but he is not the man she thought he was. More lies, hurt and deceit follow.

People will lose.. their life’s, their money and respect but will anyone survive?

Xx

[Ines · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pagan has the plan to make dreams reality, when her brother Tony throws a very big wrench in front of her goal. Unwillingly caught up in a scheme to take revenge on a half-brother none of them ever met, the hitman Tony hires decides he wants Pagan instead of money. In an attempt to save her brother, Pagan reaches out to Richard, but the thing is: sometimes secrets are more deadly than weapons...

First of all: I loved the way this author portrayed her characters. Just for that I stick with a five star rating. This series has a distinct "love is love" feeling, but without falling into any type of clichés. All the characters that are a part of this series have depth and it felt like they all really live their own lives somewhere on this planet. While this book comes with trigger warnings, it wasn't very dark if you're used to that type of read. It does have some distinct taboo elements though. While this series takes multiple twists and turns, I'll admit I did saw some of them coming. Looking back after reading all three books, the author did manage to surprise me at times though.

If you like contemporary reads with good character building, a touch of taboo and with a lot of respect to LGBTQ themes, I would absolutely recommend this series.

[Julia DeBarrioz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sexy and action packed! Once I started this I couldn't put it down. This was right up my alley, and is EXACTLY my kind of alpha romance--in which the alpha is big and bad, BUT gets his a$$ kicked by the strong woman he falls for, and in the end is a better man for it. :)

Frank Mancini is a hitman for the mafia in New York--or is he? This story was SO full of twists and turns I did not see coming. It was beautifully written too, Lockwood's snarky prose is seriously a treat. The author is also clearly a huge LGBTQ advocate. It seems like someone from every walk of life you can imagine is represented in these pages in fully dimensional characters, not just a side mention thrown in to be trendy, it was great.

I also loved Pagan. She's smart and tough, but also has a big heart [and a big mouth, haha]. She's stuck in a tough spot with her ne'er do well brother, who is a leech she's can't quite bring herself to cut loose. He's manipulative and used to getting his way, but he bites off a little more than he can chew when he hires Mancini to kill their elusive half-brother...and expects Pagan to pay for it. There's a twisted web of family history that masterfully unravels throughout the story. As a reader I thoroughly enjoyed it. As a writer, I was impressed!

I really enjoyed this and I will definitely be looking at this author's other works.

[The Book Dragon's Hoard by A.V. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went in blind. I didn't even read the blurb, and I was totally blindsided by the brilliant insanity of this series. It's as if Quentin Tarantino did a Mafia movie in a Film Noire style. Sheer genius.

I was only going to "test the waters" to see if the first few chapters were of any interest. Well, I got sucked in good and solid and even when I saw the twist coming, I thought, "no, no one can be that twisted" but in phenomenal Tarantino-style, Lockwood actually went ahead and did it! There's no cheese in this. Only pure grit.

A wonderfully dark, twisted, gritty and unconventional read. If you're tired of all the "same old, same old" contemporary romance out there, then you HAVE to read this book!

I blazed through the whole series in a weekend and the whole thing is amazing! For anyone who's a Quentin Tarantino fan, consider Book 1: "Pulp Fiction"; Book 2: "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" and Book 3: "Django Unchained".

[Linda MARIE Pankow · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, here I am having finished another book.... I have to say this one sent me for a loop despite the trigger warnings.... So, without further ado, I give a full 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 stars for this book.

But here's why.....

I loved tbe character build up and the way the story pulls together. I knew what was coming before it was told. I gotta say this is one amazing book and I look forward to the next two sequels. That said only read this if you're okay with *possible* incest....

[Jenny See · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love mafia romance and romantic suspense, so this book was right up my alley. I love that you get all three books together, it’s so convenient and you don’t have to wait for the next book to release. The characters great, Pagan is an awesome heroine. The story is well developed at a good pace, with plenty of twists and turns that make it hard to set this book down. And the spice content in this book is delicious! I definitely recommend this book!

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark intense mafia romance

A intense dark read. Impossible to put down. The characters are are definitely well written and make you want to be in the book with them. I will be reading more of the authors work in other books. Definitely a very intense dark read.

[Jennifer Halloway ong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it !

I absolutely loved everything about this book set , the characters and storyline were incredible. Taboo , mafia , murder , and lots of mayhem and plot twists . I loved how open Richard (Frank) was it was refreshing and his obsession with Pagan was fire hot !!

[Susan Hutchinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book!

Jayne Lockwood’s Closer than Blood series centers on a contract hit man, Frank, and a woman, Pagan, he meets when her brother tries to hire him to take out their half- brother and she tries to convince him not to. What follows is an intriguing story of “don’t believe everything you think is true”, mixed together with complicated relationships, sexual ambiguity, and a good dose of mafia mania. Lockwood’s ability to weave a story is epic, her characters well rounded and at times, unpredictable, and the end will leave you gasping for breath and reaching for the closest liquor bottle. Excellent read.

[Tamela Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a delightful, thoroughly engaging read from start to finish, with so many intricate plot turns. A woman would have to be dead not to be thoroughly turned on by the rough edged, complicated Frank Mancini. Pagan Freemantle is more than a perfect match, as she is mouthy and determined to stand her ground beneath the cool exterior. She's definitely my kind of female character! This is not your sort of book if you're looking for a sweet romance. This book is gritty, violent, and wonderfully realistic in every way. Ms. Lockwood nailed every single beat and plot point in a way that flows and is not painting by the numbers. I've greatly enjoyed her work in the past and am simply excited to see what this fantastic author writes in the future. She puts a lot of love and careful planning into her reads. Yes, this book was that good!

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Closer then Blood is a action packed, page turning, hot hot hot hot must read. Jayne I can't wait to read what you can come up with next. I know Closer then Blood is a book that I'll read over and over and over again!!!

[Liz johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable. This was originally written as 3 separate books. So I think I am right in saying the first part ,they meet, lots of drama occurs, they split up. The second book is dealing with the split and their dealing with meeting again after time spent apart and her new relationship. The third part is their coming together again. There is a lot of drama and plotting and some twists and Frank is a great character as the invincible hit man with a lot more to him than that. I enjoyed the authors descriptions of his sexy self.
(There is an icky moment , but bear with it, its necessary to the plot, IMO. I forgave Frank anyway)
Frank and Pagans relationship is hot and deep. I liked Pagan a lot. She could be rather long suffering at times with the people in her life, particularly her brother, but she was loyal and a strong willed character despite that, so it didn't get too annoying. Her upbringing meant she was used to putting her brother first.
She was very feisty with Frank and smart mouthed and this was good to read. She had more of a backbone with Frank and put up with a lot less from him than she did with other people in her life. So in some ways her feistiness was great but you couldn't help wish she showed more of it with others in her life. Pagan did seem a little naïve, or easily fooled at times but I could see she wanted to make a good life for herself and some of the people she trusts were very clever at the games they played. Who would believe that people could do the things to her that they did, even Frank. When you think of it like that her naivete is believable.
I hated that it took a while for her and Frank to come together again as a couple in part 2, but having said that, this book took place over months not weeks so it was more realistic that way, I was just being impatient.
I thought Frank was getting a little soft in part two but he did redeem himself in part 3 and was badass again. I liked when Pagan gave him what for over this as well. I think she knocked some sense into him. She had a very TSTL moment in part 3 which put them all in danger. There is action, violence and revenge at the end which is a long time coming. Very OTT but great.
Overall this was a longish story, possibly it could have been neatened up a little, but as I said it was three books melded together so I took that on board when reading. I never wanted to put this story down.
I loved the extras about Amelia and a certain other character (no spoilers). I also loved that there was an epilogue.

[Felsi Cyanide Sun · Rating 5 out of 5]

This dark mafia romance had me hooked up from the first to the last page.
I deeply fell in love with the characters and did not want the story to end.
As Pagan is trying to live a successful life, her selfish brother Tony is dragging her down with cruelty and reckless demands.
Pagan is struggling to get rid of her brother and falls for the dangerous and good looking Frank Mancini who appears out of the dark shadows of the mafia world.
Frank is stealing her heart with his sensual looks and unpredictable actions, full of desire.
As this dangerous man has many dark secrets, his dominant and seductive demanour is shrouded in the terrifying presence of death, pulling Pagan into an abyss full of violence and tragedy...
I totally love the storyline and the writing style of the brillant author Jayne Lockwood.
I love her humour and her big heart for the broken and shattered souls that is beautifully reflected in her writing, made me smile and filled my eyes with tears many times as the characters have found a place in my heart.
I treasure the author's books and I can't wait to read more of Jayne Lockwood's delicious dark romance.
Clearly five stars, a book I can highly recommend for dark romance lovers to fall in love with.

[A.J. Sendall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Deal Breaker, the first part of Closer than blood, a few months before downloading The Whole Story. I had really enjoyed Deal Breaker, but questioned how Lockwood could effectively follow what was a complete and well-rounded story in itself. Any doubts I had were soon exiled to Old Cynicism.
From start to finish, Closer Than Blood has a twisted and intriguing plot that at times takes the reader to the edge of discomfort. The characters are deep and well-rounded when needed, and always have an edge to them. From the alluring Pagan Freemantle, to the odious Greg Roscoe, they are crafted and directed with great skill and imagination. The dialogue is realistic and congruent with the well-formed contexts. All of which goes to form a convincing and gripping story.
A highly recommended read that will keep you guessing and entertained to the very end.

[Isabel Nicholson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t read books by this author before and what an introduction. I was gripped from the first page and compelled to keep reading. I found having to stop from things like sleep to be really quite irritating.
The storyline is unexpected, with intricate webs tying the characters’ lives together. The re genius of the book is the switch from dark and twisted moments to moments that make you smile and laugh. All of these are underpinned with action and steamy intimate scenes.
Pagan is fantastic I love her strength, grit and determination. There’s quite a mixture of supporting characters and family members who I found I had varying reactions to at different times in the book. I’m not one for spoilers so you’ll just have to read it to make your mind up about the men Pagan’s life.

[Terra Drynan-Werder · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a bit of everything, it was dark, had that forbidden theme, it was hot and the characters I had a love hate relationship with. It took me on a journey that I wasn't expecting, but very much enjoyed. There was deception and twists/turns around each and every page of the book. A very enjoyable read.

[Azalea Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Closer than Blood is book one of the Switchblade Romance. It tells the story of Pagan (I love her name), a woman who wants to ascend in her career, buy her dream house, and be happy. But she has to put up with her brother and his drug abuse, and when he hires Frank, a gangster, to find and kill his half brother Richard for his money, her life spiral out of control.

You’ll flip the pages nonstop from the very beginning and draw you in until the last book of the series (I’m already reading #2, Going Down, and I can’t stop it). There’s everything in this diverse world. Mafia and organized crime. Some gory scenes not too graphic, but you get the picture. Lots of booze and dope. Twists you don’t see coming. The forbidden element that will keep you wondering, and sexy, spicy swooning moments to make you hot and bothered.

Pagan is a strong woman, loyal friend, and great mother to Gino. A cute kid who brings color to his parents’ dark world. She married to Greg, an awful human being who does despicable things. And there’s Richard. The powerful CEO, abrasive, troubled to the core, with some issues running deep in his veins, and his relationship with Pagan adds to it. Their chemistry is off the charts, explosive, beautiful and chaotic. I love these two, and Richard officially became my forever book boyfriend.

Closer than Blood is one of the best books I’ve ever read. The characters are well built and captivating, even the secondary ones. The story is full of twists, and the romance is so sexy and sinful. I love it. ❤️‍🔥 I truly recommend not only this book, but the entire Switchblade Romance Series. It’s a beautifully dark rollercoaster of gut wrenching emotions with each page you turn!

[J.P. Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This tale is about one good person forced into a desperate and shitty situation, and the end result.

Pagan is a Brit living in Manhattan. She's attempted to cut ties to her wealthy, but troubled family, and has done her best to make it on her own. She is delightfully her own person and Lockwood has used British slang peppered throughout her dialogue that gives the story an extra layer of richness. We like Pagan. She's a good egg.

Enter the low-life brother. Tony is nothing but trouble. Battling addiction(s), this wretch of human thinks far too much of himself and shows it with a world's worth of attitude, bad schemes, and poor life choices. It's through his devious twisted schemes that he thrusts his sister into a horrid scenario:

Find the estranged step-brother who inherited everything from the family - a sibling they never knew, and were told was developmentally challenged - and have a contract put out on his life so that the family money trickles back to Tony's greedy fingers.

Here's the catch: the hired gun, Tony Mancini, falls for Pagan. Pagan falls for the hired man (eventually). And damn, that's some steamy scenes! Oh, but it gets even more delicious from there, and I can't possibly tell you more other than to say - hang on to your girdles gurls, cause this ride gets wild.

I can imagine some readers might be put off by the one sudden twist in the plot I'm referring to - the one that breaks every taboo even though the reader is given clues all along - all I will say is this; read the entire story, the final plot twist will have your grotty old panties twisted in knots to the point where you'll be aching to see what happens next.

Anyone who knows me knows I read almost exclusively queer literature. At first glance, this doesn't fit the bill, but...wait for it...the hired man is the LGBTQ+ character - a pansexual mafia-connected hitman. Sign me up! I want more of this bad boy, and the independent Pagan - she's feisty and I adored her.

Read this - you won't be disappointed!