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Vegas Morellis #3
Submitting in Vegas:
Over the years, I’ve watched Rafe Morelli charm every kind of beautiful woman out of her panties. Most of them are practical enough to hold onto their hearts, though; he doesn’t want those.
I am the only woman around who has managed to keep her panties out of Rafe’s hands, but not her heart. It all began with a startling act of kindness—a twisted act of kindness, but what other kind can you expect from a bad guy?
Rafe’s much more than that, though, and I know I’m just what he needs. I also know a relationship is off-limits. Loving a Morelli isn’t just a dangerous game—it can be a deadly one. I never wanted to align myself with the dark side, I never wanted to play any games, but no matter how much it derails my life, the only person I find myself wanting to serve is Rafe Morelli.
Rafe isn’t looking for love, and I’m not looking for trouble. The thing love and trouble have in common? Both have a way of finding you when you’re least expecting it…
Note: Submitting in Vegas is not a standalone, it is the final book in a continuing-story trilogy.
I am the only woman around who has managed to keep her panties out of Rafe’s hands, but not her heart. It all began with a startling act of kindness—a twisted act of kindness, but what other kind can you expect from a bad guy?
Rafe’s much more than that, though, and I know I’m just what he needs. I also know a relationship is off-limits. Loving a Morelli isn’t just a dangerous game—it can be a deadly one. I never wanted to align myself with the dark side, I never wanted to play any games, but no matter how much it derails my life, the only person I find myself wanting to serve is Rafe Morelli.
Rafe isn’t looking for love, and I’m not looking for trouble. The thing love and trouble have in common? Both have a way of finding you when you’re least expecting it…
Note: Submitting in Vegas is not a standalone, it is the final book in a continuing-story trilogy.
440 pages, Paperback
First published August 3, 2018
234 people are currently reading
630 people want to read
About the author
Sam Mariano
49 books4,828 followersFollow Sam Mariano on Facebook, Instagram (@sammarianobooks), or check out her Blog! If you need to email her, she can be reached at sammarianoauthor@gmail.com (but she is sometimes tardy about checking email. Mateo is very demanding).
Sign up for Sam's mailing list (to stay up to date on current projects--she won't spam you! Only for notification of new releases or book sales.)
All of Sam's books are available on Amazon! (And don't forget to follow Sam's Amazon Author page to get notified about the newest releases.)
Sam Mariano has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. She lives in Ohio and has a sweet and wonderful daughter.
Because of You was her first finished story (she started writing it when she was 18) and due to a full-time work and college schedule, it took her years to finish. She has also been telling people for years that there would never be a sequel (sorry, guys!)…which turned out to be a lie.
Sam Mariano is currently working on Dante’s book (if you’re a Morelli reader) and some other WIP.
Feel free to find her on Facebook, Goodreads, or her blog—she loves hearing from readers!
Sign up for Sam's mailing list (to stay up to date on current projects--she won't spam you! Only for notification of new releases or book sales.)
All of Sam's books are available on Amazon! (And don't forget to follow Sam's Amazon Author page to get notified about the newest releases.)
Sam Mariano has been writing stories for as long as she can remember. She lives in Ohio and has a sweet and wonderful daughter.
Because of You was her first finished story (she started writing it when she was 18) and due to a full-time work and college schedule, it took her years to finish. She has also been telling people for years that there would never be a sequel (sorry, guys!)…which turned out to be a lie.
Sam Mariano is currently working on Dante’s book (if you’re a Morelli reader) and some other WIP.
Feel free to find her on Facebook, Goodreads, or her blog—she loves hearing from readers!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
August 16, 2018
4.5
Submitting in Vegas is the ending I needed for Rafe's character. There have been times throughout the books that I've loved him, hated him, and flat out felt sorry for him. Through it all, I never gave up on him, and deep down, it would have taken a lot for him to lose me.
Rafe's a complex character with many layers, and it's one of the reason's he had me continuously rooting for him. He is more than just a selfish asshole. Sam made me understand him and what motivates his decisions. He has vulnerabilities that make him relatable and allow me to forgive him when I just want to punch in the back of the head.
Virginia is Rafe's perfect match. She's intelligent, loving, and 100 percent loyal to him. Her main goal in life was to make his better before he even became involved with her. I feel absolutely confident that she'll never break his heart or let him down. She get's an A + in my book and so does this finale.
Submitting in Vegas is the ending I needed for Rafe's character. There have been times throughout the books that I've loved him, hated him, and flat out felt sorry for him. Through it all, I never gave up on him, and deep down, it would have taken a lot for him to lose me.
Rafe's a complex character with many layers, and it's one of the reason's he had me continuously rooting for him. He is more than just a selfish asshole. Sam made me understand him and what motivates his decisions. He has vulnerabilities that make him relatable and allow me to forgive him when I just want to punch in the back of the head.
Virginia is Rafe's perfect match. She's intelligent, loving, and 100 percent loyal to him. Her main goal in life was to make his better before he even became involved with her. I feel absolutely confident that she'll never break his heart or let him down. She get's an A + in my book and so does this finale.
March 1, 2019
Waitress and secret super brain Virginia fell for Mafia man Rafe years and years ago. She’s not exactly crying girl mooning hopelessly over her untouchable crush, but she’s putting her life on hold so she can bring him dinner and drinks a couple of nights a week.
Virginia has a perfect memory. She also has a law degree and passed the bar. When she’d arrived in Vegas four years ago her plan had been to infiltrate the Morellis, gather some evidence, and then turn her findings over to the FBI. She wanted the FBI to recruit her, she wanted to work against organised crime. That’s going to be a problem, maybe?
Now she’s dithering. She’s friends with Sin and Rafe, and they aren’t as bad as the previous Mafia King, so she’s no longer motivated to take them down. And she doesn’t want to just be a lawyer, she wanted what she did to mean something. She’s pretending that she’ll make a decision, but for now: she’s happiest gazing upon Rafe’s hotness and exchanging fun banter while she tops up his glass.
Rafe’s the Vegas Mafia King, but he’s also a dumbass and a slacker. I liked him when he was introduced being dirty and wrong with Mia back in the Chicago Morelli series, but the first 2 Vegas books made it clear that he’s a pretty face who likes to swing his wang about. I am totally glad that Sin got Laurel and a promotion. Sin is a lot of wrong (cold killer, dark and tragic backstory, and that whole thing with handcuffing Laurel to his bed for days) but he is competence. Competence + abs is sexier than incompetence + abs + fanciness. Maths!
He partially redeems himself in this book by actually doing some things. Rafe in the first 2 books didn’t do anything about his new role. He’s incredibly lucky that Sin prefers to be kingmaker to king. He’s also lucky that Vince was more than happy to take his money and run off to Connecticut, but then he’s happy to coast. It’s great that at least Vince did ONE thing right.
Rafe’s obvious relationship flaw with Laurel is that he didn’t want to be a parent and she didn’t want to go out to clubs. The clubs stuff isn’t as much of a feature in this book, and it’s plenty implied that most of that was subconscious effort to distance himself from Laurel. There is some sweetness to him: he likes kids even if he doesn’t want to make more babies, and he likes books and going to bookstores. Can’t hate him, entertained by his smoulder, not completely convinced that without the sexiness he’s sort of boring. I’m not all the way into him because I still think he operates most as a reactive character, and it’s even more unfair that when he’s at his most active, it’s initiated by the Chicago series superstars. I know there are more Morelli books planned and I know I’ll read them, but I’m also hoping Mariano heavily downgrades Mia-Mateo-Adrian in future plots. She’s still letting them turn up and take over, to the detriment of a book’s protagonists.
And these books are ‘lighter’ than the Chicago series. It feels like the Vegas books have a higher body count, but I could be wrong. And there’s no rape, and even Laurel’s captivity is ‘light’ - she barely seems to notice it, after all.
Rafe and Virginia have chemistry, and I liked the ‘should we/we shouldn’t build’ in the book, and the flashbacks. But ‘oh suddenly I think you’re hot and must get inside your body at every opportunity’ is a tough sell. Rafe ended book 2 declaring his intention of going on a sex cleanse and he does, but I don’t know whether that helps or hinders establishing how genuinely into Virginia’s muted hotness he actually is. There’s also the frustrating playroom. I’m thinking Mariano is firmly against the Chekhov’s gun principle (i.e. in this case, if you introduce and describe a playroom of naughty sex things you have to do something with them). I’m not against someone getting strapped to a bench and paddled, but I’m not exactly there for it either. When authors started doing kink ‘properly’ in response to the Shades books, it all sort of went off the rails and turned kink into a process. Takes some of the fun out of it (and note, this sentiment will definitely be inconsistent with past or future reviews mentioning kink). But they needed to have done something kinkier in that room than they did. And I’d hoped that when Virginia’s secret research project got outed that Rafe would lock her up in there and hold a gun to her head, rather than just take her to his comfy bedroom (and parenthetically again, e.g.: putting a gun to a hero or heroine’s head before snogging their face off is only sometimes really hot. Mostly it’s terrible and no).
Rafe and Virginia work well as a couple and their happy ending is convincing. Although since my definition of a convincing happy ending for a Mariano couple is ‘not Vince/Carly or Adrian/Elise’ that’s not saying much. I liked that they’d both agreed they didn’t want babies, on the understanding that this is actually really difficult to stick to in the genre. The problem nagging at the back of my mind with Rafe and Virginia is that she doesn’t want to go out to clubs. She may not be quite the homebody Laurel is, but she’s also not going to want a marriage of sitting at Rafe’s side while he eyes other women, and then having to go out and rub herself up against some random so Rafe is reminded that he has a sexy wife he wants to keep. I’m also still worried about her preference to live in a world without organised crime. She may like Rafe and Sin, and she may find a niche for herself mentoring struggling businesses with Mafia loans, but she’s not going to be on board with ‘the only good witness is a dead witness’ and ‘if the loan’s not paid in money it’s paid in blood.’ Mariano has carefully navigated around her first heroine who isn’t completely prepared to pretend she’s ok with the criminal nature of her sexy hero. It’s not a completely successful navigation, and given Mariano has left so many of her couples open-ended, the ending of ‘Submitting’ isn’t a convincing ‘ever after.’
There’s still hope that Virginia finds her feet as the sexy Mafia Lawyer who also manages to influence her menfolk into joining the Legitimate Businesspersons Club (thanks The Simpsons!). Only problem with that is the precedence triangle of Mia-Mateo-Adrian, where Mia’s status is based on her sexual power. I THINK it’s ok to argue that (discounting Rafe because he already loves her possibly for her brain power, etc) Sin could be motivated by admiration for Virginia’s competence, so it doesn’t have to be about sex? But that doesn’t seem consistent with books that are really heavily invested in sex?
Overthinking it is fun!
January 4, 2019
I think it’s glaringly obvious that this book is a fake mafia book. It’s a romance book under the guise of a mobster story so perhaps it should come as no surprise that it fails miserably in the Mafia department. But I love mafia books and I have read a few good mafia/romance novels through the years and it was with that expectation that I decided to try these books. Suffice it to say this one was a sad and very idiotic parody of both genres. Mario Puzo would be rolling in his grave. As would the founder(s) of the Romance Novel industry, who were presumably Mssrs. Mills & Boons.
I won’t get into details such as the part where the Hero who was the owner of a very popular restaurent would actually go to the storage room to fetch frying oil for their chef in the kitchen, it’s just a silly thing to make your hero do, isn’t it? I’m still thinking what self respecting chef would not have his oil at the ready? They are usually very strict with their whole mise-en-place routine in their kitchens. And mob Made Men?? Who are egomaniac freaks and kill or at least maim each other over silly power plays?! For them to stoop to fetch things for their chefs? What self respecting gangster would behave like that? And after he became the big boss, as in all of Vegas had become his territory, he had soldiers, enforcers, managers, casinos and other profitable businesses, he actually was forced by the writer to close down his restaurant a few nights a week!? I know moderately rich men who have others do such menial tasks for them. Small things such as this just detract and distract from the story you know? Details matter you know. There are a million more examples I can give. But long story short, our mob boss isn’t such a boss after all.
Also we are supposed to believe that he’s this big player who breaks hearts and has a new woman on his arm every night. Really? The poor boy fell into depression after his long term girlfriend broke up with him! Had a crush on his cousin’s wife, the same wife who had been his other cousin’s ex girlfriend! (I think the writer’s idea of dark and twisted is just soap opera level complicated scenarios, in which heroes from future books knock up the heroines, but the heroines in those books end up with other guys who are either cousins or employees of those guys, but never fear, they all go to doctor appointments and buy presents and throw showers together!!) and apparently fell for a very dumb girl in between. My review’s becoming as convoluted as this book so I’ll try to wrap up. Let’s suspend our collective disbelief of all the items listed above, i defy anyone to make me believe the hero in this book was actually in love with the heroine, or for that matter prove that the heroine who had serious daddy and mommy issues, was actually in love with the hero. She was stalker obsessed with him. In a way that actually went above and beyond infatuation from a distance level. Disturbing stalker tendencies which were pretty creepy. Case in point, having passed several years studying sociology, criminology law and then passing the bar, she actually aspired to become the restaurent manager so that the hero would be served his food exactly as he liked it, and so that she could make sure no harm ever came to him! She had eidetic memory, she eavesdropped on his conversations so that she could know what was going on in his life and she paid extra attention to every woman and bimbo he brought up with him to the restaurent. It was such a pathetic mess that I cringed for her when, at last they actually were together. And I was rather concerned for him. And let’s not get to the part where he wanted to kill her. That part had actual potential. He decides to marry her instead of killing her. This exciting development happens at the last 1/8 of the book. But had it happened further back in the story and fleshed out a bit, it could have actually added so much to the story. As idiotic as most of the premises in this book were, still, it had potential!! This is the strange part you know? I’d have really enjoyed reading about a stalker heroine who was obsessed with her gangster boss, had eidetic memory, could bring him and his organisation in Vegas and all his family’s operation around the country down, but chose to be his waiter and stalk him from afar instead. But you can’t write properly if you’re wishy washy. You have to be thorough otherwise you’d just end up sounding stupid. Which is why, I will in no way, shape or form recommend this book or this author to anyone.
I won’t get into details such as the part where the Hero who was the owner of a very popular restaurent would actually go to the storage room to fetch frying oil for their chef in the kitchen, it’s just a silly thing to make your hero do, isn’t it? I’m still thinking what self respecting chef would not have his oil at the ready? They are usually very strict with their whole mise-en-place routine in their kitchens. And mob Made Men?? Who are egomaniac freaks and kill or at least maim each other over silly power plays?! For them to stoop to fetch things for their chefs? What self respecting gangster would behave like that? And after he became the big boss, as in all of Vegas had become his territory, he had soldiers, enforcers, managers, casinos and other profitable businesses, he actually was forced by the writer to close down his restaurant a few nights a week!? I know moderately rich men who have others do such menial tasks for them. Small things such as this just detract and distract from the story you know? Details matter you know. There are a million more examples I can give. But long story short, our mob boss isn’t such a boss after all.
Also we are supposed to believe that he’s this big player who breaks hearts and has a new woman on his arm every night. Really? The poor boy fell into depression after his long term girlfriend broke up with him! Had a crush on his cousin’s wife, the same wife who had been his other cousin’s ex girlfriend! (I think the writer’s idea of dark and twisted is just soap opera level complicated scenarios, in which heroes from future books knock up the heroines, but the heroines in those books end up with other guys who are either cousins or employees of those guys, but never fear, they all go to doctor appointments and buy presents and throw showers together!!) and apparently fell for a very dumb girl in between. My review’s becoming as convoluted as this book so I’ll try to wrap up. Let’s suspend our collective disbelief of all the items listed above, i defy anyone to make me believe the hero in this book was actually in love with the heroine, or for that matter prove that the heroine who had serious daddy and mommy issues, was actually in love with the hero. She was stalker obsessed with him. In a way that actually went above and beyond infatuation from a distance level. Disturbing stalker tendencies which were pretty creepy. Case in point, having passed several years studying sociology, criminology law and then passing the bar, she actually aspired to become the restaurent manager so that the hero would be served his food exactly as he liked it, and so that she could make sure no harm ever came to him! She had eidetic memory, she eavesdropped on his conversations so that she could know what was going on in his life and she paid extra attention to every woman and bimbo he brought up with him to the restaurent. It was such a pathetic mess that I cringed for her when, at last they actually were together. And I was rather concerned for him. And let’s not get to the part where he wanted to kill her. That part had actual potential. He decides to marry her instead of killing her. This exciting development happens at the last 1/8 of the book. But had it happened further back in the story and fleshed out a bit, it could have actually added so much to the story. As idiotic as most of the premises in this book were, still, it had potential!! This is the strange part you know? I’d have really enjoyed reading about a stalker heroine who was obsessed with her gangster boss, had eidetic memory, could bring him and his organisation in Vegas and all his family’s operation around the country down, but chose to be his waiter and stalk him from afar instead. But you can’t write properly if you’re wishy washy. You have to be thorough otherwise you’d just end up sounding stupid. Which is why, I will in no way, shape or form recommend this book or this author to anyone.
May 6, 2023
-- 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙛𝙞𝙤𝙨𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙨 --
4/5 ★★★★☆
And after endless books, 𝘙𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪 finally gets his HEA and I couldn't be happier!!!
Totally unpopular opinion maybe, but --- the FMC that finally steals Rafe's heart isn't a beautiful blonde bombshell like most that came before her.
She is 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵!
She is a genius with an eidetic memory and she's funny and super loyal and 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵, ladies and gentlemen, is what it took to saddle Rafe freaking Morelli.
I can't stress enough how much I love stories where the super handsome guy falls for an average looking girl and finds something extraordinary within her nevertheless.
I need 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 such stories!!!!
Universe!!! Listen to meeee!!!
I. Want. Stories. Where. The FMC. Is. Super. Average. Looking. And. Steals. The MMC's heart. Despite. That.
Is that too much to ask?
*sigh*
The story was dual POV. And looking at Virginia through Rafe's eyes was bliss. I never thought this guy would mature and in a lot of ways, he didn't. But when it came to Virginia, he was 𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨.
📌 Dark and dangerous Mafioso shit!
📌 Sin City (Vegas) vibes!
📌 Lots of Chicago Morelli appearances! (Yes! Mateo and Mia and Adrian! Yayyy!)
📌 A loyalty test after the big reveal of Virginia's secrets. (Mateo inspired, I bet.)
📌 Friends to Lovers
📌 Touch-her-and-you-die!! Vibes!
📌 Possessive Alpha Male Mob Boss! falls for sweet, sassy, sarcastic GENIUS girl Virginia!
📌 Workplace romance. Kind'a. (She works at his restaurant eventhough she's way over qualified for the job.)
📌 Lots of babies and cuddle moments included. (Not the babies of the MCs)
📌 Steamy passion! 🔥
📌 Eventual HEA. ❤
Overall -- I'd totally recommend this to anyone looking for their next mafia romance read.
P. S. This ain't a standalone. This is the final in a trilogy. And said trilogy is a spinoff of the Chicago Morellis storyline that starts with 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨.
4/5 ★★★★☆
And after endless books, 𝘙𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘪 finally gets his HEA and I couldn't be happier!!!
Totally unpopular opinion maybe, but --- the FMC that finally steals Rafe's heart isn't a beautiful blonde bombshell like most that came before her.
She is 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘵!
She is a genius with an eidetic memory and she's funny and super loyal and 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵, ladies and gentlemen, is what it took to saddle Rafe freaking Morelli.
I can't stress enough how much I love stories where the super handsome guy falls for an average looking girl and finds something extraordinary within her nevertheless.
I need 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 such stories!!!!
Universe!!! Listen to meeee!!!
I. Want. Stories. Where. The FMC. Is. Super. Average. Looking. And. Steals. The MMC's heart. Despite. That.
Is that too much to ask?
*sigh*
The story was dual POV. And looking at Virginia through Rafe's eyes was bliss. I never thought this guy would mature and in a lot of ways, he didn't. But when it came to Virginia, he was 𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨.
📌 Dark and dangerous Mafioso shit!
📌 Sin City (Vegas) vibes!
📌 Lots of Chicago Morelli appearances! (Yes! Mateo and Mia and Adrian! Yayyy!)
📌 A loyalty test after the big reveal of Virginia's secrets. (Mateo inspired, I bet.)
📌 Friends to Lovers
📌 Touch-her-and-you-die!! Vibes!
📌 Possessive Alpha Male Mob Boss! falls for sweet, sassy, sarcastic GENIUS girl Virginia!
📌 Workplace romance. Kind'a. (She works at his restaurant eventhough she's way over qualified for the job.)
📌 Lots of babies and cuddle moments included. (Not the babies of the MCs)
📌 Steamy passion! 🔥
📌 Eventual HEA. ❤
Overall -- I'd totally recommend this to anyone looking for their next mafia romance read.
P. S. This ain't a standalone. This is the final in a trilogy. And said trilogy is a spinoff of the Chicago Morellis storyline that starts with 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙒𝙞𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨.
August 5, 2018
It’s a messy kingdom; I don’t know what to tell you.
Perfect ending to the Vegas Morellis books! When I first started reading these books the very last person I thought Rafe would end up with was Virginia, but somehow it works near perfectly. This relationship has a lot of push and pull, and I wanted to kick both their butts multiple times, but in the end everything that happens and how it all happens works perfectly.
Rafe deserved a love story, and he got one that fit him pretty dang well.
Even though the author says this is the end... at the end I got a little tiny hope that there could be more. Of course maybe that story happened in the original series, and I just don’t know yet. But it could be a good one if she explores it!
Perfect ending to the Vegas Morellis books! When I first started reading these books the very last person I thought Rafe would end up with was Virginia, but somehow it works near perfectly. This relationship has a lot of push and pull, and I wanted to kick both their butts multiple times, but in the end everything that happens and how it all happens works perfectly.
Rafe deserved a love story, and he got one that fit him pretty dang well.
Even though the author says this is the end... at the end I got a little tiny hope that there could be more. Of course maybe that story happened in the original series, and I just don’t know yet. But it could be a good one if she explores it!
August 27, 2022
idky but untouchable was so different—in the best way—from all her other books. it was what made me try sam's other books and my goodness did i regret wasting my time. i havent particularly liked her morelli series but this book was exceptionally bad—maybe because i really hated virginia, she's bland as hell and leans towards the pick me side of our spectrum so naturally we received our fair share of slut shaming. i just genuinely did not like her like at all. it all felt too forced, her presumed smartness which she used to put down other women, constantly comparing herself to all the other females who were obviously whores and so dumb unlike her.
so H and h are introduced when our female mc is crying in the supply room because her boyfriend has been cheating on her (this was the first and last time I sympathized with her) and the hero—our mob boss comes in to get fryer oil for the chef? then he stays back and sorta consoles her?
she tells him the new girl is real pretty and he's like nah she's just bleh. it could only mean she just had more personality than virginia which i mean come on the bar is already in hell.
AND THE NEXT THING WE KNOW SHE'S BARGING INTO HIS HOUSE AND ACTING LIKE HIS MOTHER. so basically she finds our mafia boss lying on the floor with a redhead (dubbed Jessica rabbit because virginia is basic as hell) she sees them doing drugs and i quote "fury explodes in her" and she grabs the girl and literally kicks her out and rafe's reacting to this waitress acting like him mommy?
He shrugs, like it’s out of his hands. “Sorry, Virginia says you have to leave.”
dude. fury exploded in me after reading this bs. what sort of mob boss is he even?
the whole thing was just so unbelievably cringeworthy and infuriating, like i really would like to know how sam mariano thought it would be a good idea to add this scene into the book? wasnt the mob boss getting fryer oil for chef bad enough? and with the way rafe just let this waitress he barely knew kick out his date—i was expecting him to call her mommy any given moment ngl.
she calls the girl 'Skankerella', which btw Virginia, slut shaming isnt hilarious and you know nothing about her.
this scene just keeps getting worse
She stumbles forward. “I don’t… Rafe drove me here. How am I supposed to get home?”
I haven’t taken my apron off yet, so I reach in and grab a couple twenties. “Here’s cab money. Go away. And if you ever drug him up again, I will hunt you down and use your filthy coke razor to slit your pretty little throat.”
hear me out ladies. I DONT CARE IF YOU DONT KNOW ANOTHER GIRL OR HATE HER FOR PETTY MISOGYNISTIC REASONS YOU DO NOT LET A GIRL WHO ISNT SOBER OUT ALONE. that's just girl code.
it was just so hard to even like either of these people after this. even the banter (and i love sam Mariano's banter) annoyed me to no extent.
“Can I give you advice? Don’t let sketchy hoes
around you with razor blades.”
“That’s pretty good advice,” he admits. Now that I’ve disposed of his drugged up whore, Rafe folds his hands on his stomach, still looking blissfully out of it.
“I did. I don’t think you should see her again. She’s terrible.”
“Why is she terrible?” he inquires. “Did you see her ass? Not terrible.”
I groan, rolling my eyes at him and standing. “You’re high. A nice ass is no reason to go home with a crackwhore. Come on, stand up. Where’s your bedroom?”
“Come on, you rogue,” I mutter, leading him down the hall. “Promise me you will never get behind the wheel like this again. In fact, promise me you’ll never do something this stupid again, period, because this is so fucking stupid, it makes me angry.”
i never thought i'd cringe this hard over a book written by sam freaking mariano.
He smells like a lot of things, but alcohol is certainly in there, so he’s probably drunk and high, and I did send his ho home.
Rafe laughs, letting me shove him toward the bathroom. “Wow, you’re merciless.”
“I cleaned up your drugs, kicked out your crackwhore, brought you cheesecake, and made sure you survived this stupid night. I’ve done my part here.”
like do guys see? he is NOWHERE AT FAULT here. just the "bad influence" and oh my goodness the amount of slutshaming
.
here's how she talks about another ow. marlena.
Marlena certainly wasn’t a nerd. That chick didn’t
possess half an ounce of intelligence in the soft-boiled egg that served as her mind.
I slide him a look. “I know you’re not going to pretend that female attention was completely one-sided. Remember Marlena the moron?”
I can’t, though. Marlena flashes to mind for the first time in ages. I rarely think about the women Rafe has liked before, and if I’m going to think about a dead one, it’s usually Cassandra, but I can’t shake Marlena right now. She was dull and dim, and I assured Laurel he wouldn’t have cheated on her, but that was partially to protect them both.
to me however, marlena came off as a pretty warm and friendly person and trust me, rafe and her had like SO much more chemistry i actually enjoyed their exchange even though they were numbered:
“You okay?” My gaze snaps to the waitress. Her tone is quiet, intimate, like she doesn’t want anyone to overhear. There’s no one else in the corner she put me in anyway, but I still appreciate the consideration. She seems like a nice girl, and dammit, I like nice girls.
this made smile^
When I look back at her, I realize she looks familiar. “You’re the waitress Sin was a dick to,” I state.
Her lips curve up in a faintly self-detrimental smile. “Yes, but in his defense, he also gave me twenty bucks.”
“Can I be a dick to you if I give you twenty bucks?” I half-joke.
Cocking an eyebrow at me, she asks, “Do you feel like being a dick to me? I only gave you a table and inquired after your well-being. I’m not sure that
warrants you being a dick.”
“I have a lot of problems right now and I’d like to take my aggressions out on someone.”
That should probably scare her off for a lot of reasons, but she merely smiles.
“If you need to talk, I have two ears. And I’m a terrible waitress, as you may have gathered, so my other tables won’t be shocked that I’m ignoring them.”
so he tell her her problem: him wanting his cousin’s wife (which btw why does EVERYONE want mia?), the girl he has impregnated and maybe his
ex too (notice how virginia doesnt even make the list?)
and she helps him figure out what each of them represent to him and if he just wants them because he cant have them. like plz this is the type of conversations i love to read about. this is the sam mariano couple.
they meet again when he shows up at her apartment:
A minute later it swings open. Marlena stands on the other side, frowning at me. “What are you doing here?”
I smile faintly. “Nice to see you, too.”
Leaning against the doorframe, she looks up at me. “You want me to lie? It’s not that nice to see you. I’m kind of busy right now.”
My gaze flickers past her to the interior of her apartment. “Boyfriend over?”
“I expected more subtlety from an accomplished player like yourself,” she states, clearly unimpressed.
he realizes she's moving to arizona because she doesnt have a job, cant pay for school and her landlord, i quote, 'has this weird insistence on being paid to house her' i genuinely enjoyed their back and forth ✋
“I have enough to pay for gas money back home, but not enough to pay another month’s rent while I try to find a job. Failing a miracle, I don’t see that changing. I’ve applied everywhere with unbecoming desperation, and no bites.”
“You don’t need a miracle, you need money.” Reaching into my back pocket and drawing out my wallet, I ask, “How much is your rent here?”
Frowning at my wallet, she says, “I don’t want your money.”
I pinch a stack of 20’s, looks like a little over $2,000. Holding it out, I tell her, “Here.”
“I’m not taking your money,” she states again.
“Why not? You need money. I have money. What’s the problem?”
Her blue-green eyes widen in disbelief. “The problem is I don’t want to be in debt to the mob. Are you kidding me?”
“The mob isn’t loaning you money. I am.”
Eyeing me warily, she says, “Well, I have a feeling I don’t want to be indebted to you either.”
“You’re not indebted to me,” I tell her, shaking my head. “Think of it as an advance. I’m going to give you a job.”
Warily stepping closer, she eyes the money, but her distrustful gaze returns to my face and she still doesn’t take it. “Doing what?”
“Waiting tables. You’re a waitress, right? I have a restaurant. Nicer than the shitty place you worked at anyway, better customers, better tips. Better management,” I add with a wink.
That makes her smile, but she’s looking down again. She does that a lot.
“I’m not sure your girlfriend would like that.”
if sam just wanted to write about a waitress why not her 😭😭 because seriously, her and dim? bitch plz. virginia just wishes she had even just a shred of personality and self respect marlena did. like seriously virginia is shown to have passed the bar, studied sociology and criminology law and THEN WORKS AS A WAITRESS SO SHE CAN SERVE HIS FOOD AND DRINKS EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS PER WEEK AND MAKE SURE NO HARM EVER CAME TO RAFE. rafe as in the mob boss.
the rest of the conversations they had—god, i really enjoyed rafe and marlena together but then suddenly marlena was the villain (the way i rolled my eyes so hard and have still not gone blind, thank the lord)
but even keeping her lack of personality and blatant misogyny aside, virgina tried so hard to include herself at the christmas dinners, acting all excited for lauren's childbirth but it all just came off as so pathetic, forced and awkward like she just didnt fit in. i cringed and skimmed my way through practically all of her and rafe's scenes because she felt more like his mother and it made everything seem disgustingly incestuous i'm sorry 😭
so H and h are introduced when our female mc is crying in the supply room because her boyfriend has been cheating on her (this was the first and last time I sympathized with her) and the hero—our mob boss comes in to get fryer oil for the chef? then he stays back and sorta consoles her?
she tells him the new girl is real pretty and he's like nah she's just bleh. it could only mean she just had more personality than virginia which i mean come on the bar is already in hell.
AND THE NEXT THING WE KNOW SHE'S BARGING INTO HIS HOUSE AND ACTING LIKE HIS MOTHER. so basically she finds our mafia boss lying on the floor with a redhead (dubbed Jessica rabbit because virginia is basic as hell) she sees them doing drugs and i quote "fury explodes in her" and she grabs the girl and literally kicks her out and rafe's reacting to this waitress acting like him mommy?
He shrugs, like it’s out of his hands. “Sorry, Virginia says you have to leave.”
dude. fury exploded in me after reading this bs. what sort of mob boss is he even?
the whole thing was just so unbelievably cringeworthy and infuriating, like i really would like to know how sam mariano thought it would be a good idea to add this scene into the book? wasnt the mob boss getting fryer oil for chef bad enough? and with the way rafe just let this waitress he barely knew kick out his date—i was expecting him to call her mommy any given moment ngl.
she calls the girl 'Skankerella', which btw Virginia, slut shaming isnt hilarious and you know nothing about her.
this scene just keeps getting worse
She stumbles forward. “I don’t… Rafe drove me here. How am I supposed to get home?”
I haven’t taken my apron off yet, so I reach in and grab a couple twenties. “Here’s cab money. Go away. And if you ever drug him up again, I will hunt you down and use your filthy coke razor to slit your pretty little throat.”
hear me out ladies. I DONT CARE IF YOU DONT KNOW ANOTHER GIRL OR HATE HER FOR PETTY MISOGYNISTIC REASONS YOU DO NOT LET A GIRL WHO ISNT SOBER OUT ALONE. that's just girl code.
it was just so hard to even like either of these people after this. even the banter (and i love sam Mariano's banter) annoyed me to no extent.
“Can I give you advice? Don’t let sketchy hoes
around you with razor blades.”
“That’s pretty good advice,” he admits. Now that I’ve disposed of his drugged up whore, Rafe folds his hands on his stomach, still looking blissfully out of it.
“I did. I don’t think you should see her again. She’s terrible.”
“Why is she terrible?” he inquires. “Did you see her ass? Not terrible.”
I groan, rolling my eyes at him and standing. “You’re high. A nice ass is no reason to go home with a crackwhore. Come on, stand up. Where’s your bedroom?”
“Come on, you rogue,” I mutter, leading him down the hall. “Promise me you will never get behind the wheel like this again. In fact, promise me you’ll never do something this stupid again, period, because this is so fucking stupid, it makes me angry.”
i never thought i'd cringe this hard over a book written by sam freaking mariano.
He smells like a lot of things, but alcohol is certainly in there, so he’s probably drunk and high, and I did send his ho home.
Rafe laughs, letting me shove him toward the bathroom. “Wow, you’re merciless.”
“I cleaned up your drugs, kicked out your crackwhore, brought you cheesecake, and made sure you survived this stupid night. I’ve done my part here.”
like do guys see? he is NOWHERE AT FAULT here. just the "bad influence" and oh my goodness the amount of slutshaming
.
here's how she talks about another ow. marlena.
Marlena certainly wasn’t a nerd. That chick didn’t
possess half an ounce of intelligence in the soft-boiled egg that served as her mind.
I slide him a look. “I know you’re not going to pretend that female attention was completely one-sided. Remember Marlena the moron?”
I can’t, though. Marlena flashes to mind for the first time in ages. I rarely think about the women Rafe has liked before, and if I’m going to think about a dead one, it’s usually Cassandra, but I can’t shake Marlena right now. She was dull and dim, and I assured Laurel he wouldn’t have cheated on her, but that was partially to protect them both.
to me however, marlena came off as a pretty warm and friendly person and trust me, rafe and her had like SO much more chemistry i actually enjoyed their exchange even though they were numbered:
“You okay?” My gaze snaps to the waitress. Her tone is quiet, intimate, like she doesn’t want anyone to overhear. There’s no one else in the corner she put me in anyway, but I still appreciate the consideration. She seems like a nice girl, and dammit, I like nice girls.
this made smile^
When I look back at her, I realize she looks familiar. “You’re the waitress Sin was a dick to,” I state.
Her lips curve up in a faintly self-detrimental smile. “Yes, but in his defense, he also gave me twenty bucks.”
“Can I be a dick to you if I give you twenty bucks?” I half-joke.
Cocking an eyebrow at me, she asks, “Do you feel like being a dick to me? I only gave you a table and inquired after your well-being. I’m not sure that
warrants you being a dick.”
“I have a lot of problems right now and I’d like to take my aggressions out on someone.”
That should probably scare her off for a lot of reasons, but she merely smiles.
“If you need to talk, I have two ears. And I’m a terrible waitress, as you may have gathered, so my other tables won’t be shocked that I’m ignoring them.”
so he tell her her problem: him wanting his cousin’s wife (which btw why does EVERYONE want mia?), the girl he has impregnated and maybe his
ex too (notice how virginia doesnt even make the list?)
and she helps him figure out what each of them represent to him and if he just wants them because he cant have them. like plz this is the type of conversations i love to read about. this is the sam mariano couple.
they meet again when he shows up at her apartment:
A minute later it swings open. Marlena stands on the other side, frowning at me. “What are you doing here?”
I smile faintly. “Nice to see you, too.”
Leaning against the doorframe, she looks up at me. “You want me to lie? It’s not that nice to see you. I’m kind of busy right now.”
My gaze flickers past her to the interior of her apartment. “Boyfriend over?”
“I expected more subtlety from an accomplished player like yourself,” she states, clearly unimpressed.
he realizes she's moving to arizona because she doesnt have a job, cant pay for school and her landlord, i quote, 'has this weird insistence on being paid to house her' i genuinely enjoyed their back and forth ✋
“I have enough to pay for gas money back home, but not enough to pay another month’s rent while I try to find a job. Failing a miracle, I don’t see that changing. I’ve applied everywhere with unbecoming desperation, and no bites.”
“You don’t need a miracle, you need money.” Reaching into my back pocket and drawing out my wallet, I ask, “How much is your rent here?”
Frowning at my wallet, she says, “I don’t want your money.”
I pinch a stack of 20’s, looks like a little over $2,000. Holding it out, I tell her, “Here.”
“I’m not taking your money,” she states again.
“Why not? You need money. I have money. What’s the problem?”
Her blue-green eyes widen in disbelief. “The problem is I don’t want to be in debt to the mob. Are you kidding me?”
“The mob isn’t loaning you money. I am.”
Eyeing me warily, she says, “Well, I have a feeling I don’t want to be indebted to you either.”
“You’re not indebted to me,” I tell her, shaking my head. “Think of it as an advance. I’m going to give you a job.”
Warily stepping closer, she eyes the money, but her distrustful gaze returns to my face and she still doesn’t take it. “Doing what?”
“Waiting tables. You’re a waitress, right? I have a restaurant. Nicer than the shitty place you worked at anyway, better customers, better tips. Better management,” I add with a wink.
That makes her smile, but she’s looking down again. She does that a lot.
“I’m not sure your girlfriend would like that.”
if sam just wanted to write about a waitress why not her 😭😭 because seriously, her and dim? bitch plz. virginia just wishes she had even just a shred of personality and self respect marlena did. like seriously virginia is shown to have passed the bar, studied sociology and criminology law and THEN WORKS AS A WAITRESS SO SHE CAN SERVE HIS FOOD AND DRINKS EVERY COUPLE OF DAYS PER WEEK AND MAKE SURE NO HARM EVER CAME TO RAFE. rafe as in the mob boss.
the rest of the conversations they had—god, i really enjoyed rafe and marlena together but then suddenly marlena was the villain (the way i rolled my eyes so hard and have still not gone blind, thank the lord)
but even keeping her lack of personality and blatant misogyny aside, virgina tried so hard to include herself at the christmas dinners, acting all excited for lauren's childbirth but it all just came off as so pathetic, forced and awkward like she just didnt fit in. i cringed and skimmed my way through practically all of her and rafe's scenes because she felt more like his mother and it made everything seem disgustingly incestuous i'm sorry 😭
November 17, 2022
I love this series with every fiber of my being, and while NOTHING can compare to Mia and Mateo, I'm thankful we have another batch of Morellis that we've been able to spend time with.
I love Rafe from day one - he has everything I love about a Morelli man- he's alpha dominant, devilishly handsome, a brilliant mastermind and controller of everyone and everything around him, and can be intimidating but charming- yet, he's also firefly loyal to those around him, can be incredibly nurturing, and loves hard. Unlike some of the other men, she's spunky and funny as hell. He's not quite Mateo in my books (he'll always be my #1 book boyfriend of all time)- but he's pretty damn close. HE's also in a very different place than Mateo- newer to being in control, newer to the concept of love and family, and not sure he's ready to emotional invest in anyone else, even if he demands their vulnerability.
He tried with Laurel, and is clear that Sam let her characters speak to her, because there is no one for Laurel but Sin. Which meant by beloved Rafe, arguable to easiest Morelli for a woman to love, was still alone. Rafe is so amazing- I wanted him to have his HEA and get a story focused on him rather than his intrusion in the love story of another (now two times!).
Enter Virginia- whom we met prior but don't really know. This is the ONE downside to this story. Don't get me wrong- Virigina is great, but unlike our other Morelli heroines, we only have this one book to really get to know her- so I just don't feel as connected to her as Mia or Laurel, or even Colette or Elise, whom we at least see as a minor characters in other stories. That said, Virginia is perfect for Rafe- she's gentle and soft (like Mia) but a bit way more calculated and less passive (girl goes after what she wants with a plan) and incredibly intelligent (even though Mia is very smart, we don't see this side of her as much because she's already so loved up). In a weird way, it is also fitting that Virginia is kind of a nobody in the Morellli world- just like Mia, but a little bit of chance and then a lot of hard earned "hanging on for dear life in this Morelli world" due diligence finally lead them together. Like all Morelli stories, the pathway there isn't easy, but it is far less angsty and more sweet than the other love stories in the Morelli group, but we finally have a meaningful and enjoyable conclusion for all those we love in Vegas. We even get to spend more time with Sin and Laurel, which I'm ALL here for.
If you loved Rafe before, you'll love him even more when you see what invested/in love Rafe looks like. If you had doubts about his ability to settle down after the Laurel fiasco, hang tight- you'll love the ride.
I love Rafe from day one - he has everything I love about a Morelli man- he's alpha dominant, devilishly handsome, a brilliant mastermind and controller of everyone and everything around him, and can be intimidating but charming- yet, he's also firefly loyal to those around him, can be incredibly nurturing, and loves hard. Unlike some of the other men, she's spunky and funny as hell. He's not quite Mateo in my books (he'll always be my #1 book boyfriend of all time)- but he's pretty damn close. HE's also in a very different place than Mateo- newer to being in control, newer to the concept of love and family, and not sure he's ready to emotional invest in anyone else, even if he demands their vulnerability.
He tried with Laurel, and is clear that Sam let her characters speak to her, because there is no one for Laurel but Sin. Which meant by beloved Rafe, arguable to easiest Morelli for a woman to love, was still alone. Rafe is so amazing- I wanted him to have his HEA and get a story focused on him rather than his intrusion in the love story of another (now two times!).
Enter Virginia- whom we met prior but don't really know. This is the ONE downside to this story. Don't get me wrong- Virigina is great, but unlike our other Morelli heroines, we only have this one book to really get to know her- so I just don't feel as connected to her as Mia or Laurel, or even Colette or Elise, whom we at least see as a minor characters in other stories. That said, Virginia is perfect for Rafe- she's gentle and soft (like Mia) but a bit way more calculated and less passive (girl goes after what she wants with a plan) and incredibly intelligent (even though Mia is very smart, we don't see this side of her as much because she's already so loved up). In a weird way, it is also fitting that Virginia is kind of a nobody in the Morellli world- just like Mia, but a little bit of chance and then a lot of hard earned "hanging on for dear life in this Morelli world" due diligence finally lead them together. Like all Morelli stories, the pathway there isn't easy, but it is far less angsty and more sweet than the other love stories in the Morelli group, but we finally have a meaningful and enjoyable conclusion for all those we love in Vegas. We even get to spend more time with Sin and Laurel, which I'm ALL here for.
If you loved Rafe before, you'll love him even more when you see what invested/in love Rafe looks like. If you had doubts about his ability to settle down after the Laurel fiasco, hang tight- you'll love the ride.
August 4, 2018
5 I don't want this to end stars
I love this entire family. This book was the icing on the cake. I loved Rafe in the Chicago series and even after his questionable moments in the first two books, I still knew there was something special about him. I was right.
This book for the first half just seemed like a typical romance. I was enjoying it, but I was missing the mafia aspect of it. Then it was back and I was ecstatic. I loved seeing Mateo, Adrian, and Mia again. I loved the dialogue and banter between Vince, Rafe, and Carly. Yet, perhaps the best was seeing Rafe and Virginia build on their relationship. I knew from the previous books that she was something special but I had no idea she'd be this amazing. These two together are incredible together. Their steamy times were hotter than a sidewalk in Vegas in August. They put the BOOM in boom chika wow wow. I laughed so hard at Virginia and her "review" of Rafe.
I am sad to see this family end. I really am. Each and every character feels like family or my friend. This and the Chicago series will be in my forever worth a re-read collection.
I look forward to what this author does next. I am sure it will be amazing. I hope in the future that it includes a follow up, maybe the kids or Dante.
I love this entire family. This book was the icing on the cake. I loved Rafe in the Chicago series and even after his questionable moments in the first two books, I still knew there was something special about him. I was right.
This book for the first half just seemed like a typical romance. I was enjoying it, but I was missing the mafia aspect of it. Then it was back and I was ecstatic. I loved seeing Mateo, Adrian, and Mia again. I loved the dialogue and banter between Vince, Rafe, and Carly. Yet, perhaps the best was seeing Rafe and Virginia build on their relationship. I knew from the previous books that she was something special but I had no idea she'd be this amazing. These two together are incredible together. Their steamy times were hotter than a sidewalk in Vegas in August. They put the BOOM in boom chika wow wow. I laughed so hard at Virginia and her "review" of Rafe.
I am sad to see this family end. I really am. Each and every character feels like family or my friend. This and the Chicago series will be in my forever worth a re-read collection.
I look forward to what this author does next. I am sure it will be amazing. I hope in the future that it includes a follow up, maybe the kids or Dante.
August 2, 2018
Submitting in Vegas (Vegas Morellis #3)
By Sam Mariano
5-I'm Going To VEGAS-Stars
Ahhhh, I devoured this book!!! Could not put it down. I knew Rafe had a story and one that deserved to be told. The man who after reading this book has knocked Mateo off his pedestal and is now my #1 Morelli Man. Would have never thought that Mateo would be booted out of the pole position but once you read this book… You will get it too… The Rafe feelings.
Virginia is a tough cookie! For years, she has watch Rafe bring in his booth girls. Different ones, all beautiful women… All the while, Virginia has served them and held her head high. Fending off the feelings she had for her boss.
She has given it all to protect her boss. Put her life on hold, even though she is highly intelligent and deserves to use her talents in other ways than being a waitress.
So, when The Boss and The Waitress finally cross the line, SPARKS FLY!!! It’s a take all, no holds, years of obsessing coming to BLOW. Goodness, what I wouldn’t give to spend just one night in Rafe’s bedroom 😉
This is a EPIC conclusion to this trilogy. There are lies, deceit and death. There are family dinners and plenty of kids everywhere. There are secrets unveiled and truths exposed. But most importantly, there is RAFE!!!
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By Sam Mariano
5-I'm Going To VEGAS-Stars
Ahhhh, I devoured this book!!! Could not put it down. I knew Rafe had a story and one that deserved to be told. The man who after reading this book has knocked Mateo off his pedestal and is now my #1 Morelli Man. Would have never thought that Mateo would be booted out of the pole position but once you read this book… You will get it too… The Rafe feelings.
Virginia is a tough cookie! For years, she has watch Rafe bring in his booth girls. Different ones, all beautiful women… All the while, Virginia has served them and held her head high. Fending off the feelings she had for her boss.
She has given it all to protect her boss. Put her life on hold, even though she is highly intelligent and deserves to use her talents in other ways than being a waitress.
So, when The Boss and The Waitress finally cross the line, SPARKS FLY!!! It’s a take all, no holds, years of obsessing coming to BLOW. Goodness, what I wouldn’t give to spend just one night in Rafe’s bedroom 😉
This is a EPIC conclusion to this trilogy. There are lies, deceit and death. There are family dinners and plenty of kids everywhere. There are secrets unveiled and truths exposed. But most importantly, there is RAFE!!!
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August 6, 2018
(Warning: This review has spoilers.)
Mindblown! You know the author is phenomenal when your emotions went up a notch, are all over the place and, you're still reeling from what you read. Without overdoing it, I wanna cry, but also I'm overjoyed. Rafe is soooo Rafe and I can't stop swooning over him. Wiping my drool 'cause it's getting embarassing. 😂
Loved it, Sam!!! ❤❤❤❤💯💯💯 But I seriously want more. I can't believe that it's over. 😭
I want more of my favorite mafia downtown!
Thanks for telling Rafe's story, Sam! I've been rooting for him since the very beginning. Love this man to bits. ❤❤❤
This story has it all, the Morelli drama, the Morelli trap (kinda), the Morelli madness, the Morelli wrath and the Morelli family love. The way Sam plays with her characters will always fascinate me. I love the banters and comebacks exhanged between Virginia and Rafe. Virginia is so gritty & witty and the way her brain turns Rafe on fire is so shattering, in a good way. Damn, the way this woman is fiery and feisty, her attitude&smart ass is so becoming and compelling. The woman who finally tames the beast, the philandering bastard of Vegas. Rafe growing up into the better man made my toes curl and my heart met like butter.😭❤
As if I’m a horse, she pets the side of my head. “Calm down, boy, no one’s trying to saddle you.”
I can’t quite stifle a little smile at her audacity. “You little shit.”
Her eyes sparkle with amusement. “I’m just saying, someone’s getting a little skittish. Maybe a snack will settle you down. Want me to see if I can find you a sugar cube in the kitchen? Maybe an apple?”
I nod. “Keep it up, sweetheart; I’ll give you something to ride.”
😂😂😂 I mean can you feel the love? The sparks? The unspoken feelings? Puppy Rafe is my favorite Rafe, not that I would mind Naked Rafe or drunk Rafe. **sigh** Rafe oozes so much charisma and sexual dynamism. 🌝❤
How Virginia and Rafe play around a little bit and bond over their heartbreak in the beginning makes me want this kinda relationship. You can see that they are both protective towards each other and are always there for each other in their most desperate moments. Mommy Virginia is one of the best😂😂 Her loyalty is truly pledged to Rafe even if the asshole can't see it at first. For crying out loud, the woman gave up on her dream job for you, just to be around you, dick!
From friends, close friends, lovers to husband and wife! Wow. Yes, I do.❤❤
And now, can we please talk about the cameos of MATEO MORELLI, MIA and ADRIAN? I loved them, they added so much more appeal to the story. Plus, I love the bromance between Mateo and Rafe. 🔥🔥
And Mia, oh Mia, you are always good. Thank God for Mia, she is the one who brought Rafe to his senses. The mini heart attack I had when Rafe pulled out his gun, I think my anxiety went through the roof.
This book and conclusion of the Vegas Morelli is the best, in my book. Maybe because of my undying love and loyalty to Rafe. And I love how Virginia is loyal to him. Sorry Laurel, I adore you but V wins this round. And omgg Sin with the babies, made me swoon. Can I call you dada too?😂😂😂
I think family, friendship and loyalty were recurring themes in this book. Family always comes first, no matter what. See how Mateo had Rafe's best interest at heart? How Rafe went protective over Sin when he found out Virginia had more evidence on Sin? And how Vince, Mateo, and Sin were his best men at his wedding? Omg the bromance is getting to me. Even Adrian plays an important part and Rex omg baby! They all had each other's back omg.
BTW, Rex and his Disney fetish killed me.😂😂 I fucking need Rex and Bella's story now. How is Mateo gonna react to that, I wonder? He does like Rex already but I'm sure he will go ungodly Mateo Crazy if Rex and Bella ever hook up.
And omg the Morelli munchkins❤❤ Skylar and Nicky. I almost lost my shit when Rafe was bonding with his baby in the epilogue scene, Nicholas kissed him and he shows some affection by telling the baby he loves him. Aww Raphael Morelli, are you trying to be the death of me? 😍😭
And the hot, steamy sex scenes. Oh my fucking goodness. How I want to lick some cheesecake cream off these yum yum abs. 👅👅💞
And I seriously want Rafe to punish me. How fucked up is this. Some spanking would be okay, since I'm not too much into this kink boat.
Jesus !!Jelly Rafe is so hilarious though😂😂😂
“Um, aren’t we supposed to have a safe word?” I inquire.
“Sure,” he says, straddling my ass and reaching around to firmly cup his hand under my chin, then tug me back like a bow.
“Does my delicate little wife need a safe word for a simple spanking? I’m not sure you could hang with Sin, sweetheart.”
Endless of stars for this book because Sam deserves it for giving us such a beautiful conclusion. I loved the craziness, the drama, and the little ounce of sketchiness. I just loved it all. Sam has outdone herself like always, the Queen deserves a standing ovation for this. Thank you, Sam. I still can't get enough of Rafe and Virginia though. I need more. What happens next?
P.s The disney References were lit!! Comparing Rafe to Prince Hans though😂😂😂 Stop it, you guys.
And yes, let's not forget how Virginia turned Rafe into the beautiful Dumbass in distress and Sin into the Hero.😂😂 God, I love these powerful men's dry sense of humour. 😂😂
Now excuse me, while I go for a re-read and if you haven't read it already, go read it rn!
Once again, well-done, Sam. Bravo. We love you!❤ *Bowing down to the Queen*
Mindblown! You know the author is phenomenal when your emotions went up a notch, are all over the place and, you're still reeling from what you read. Without overdoing it, I wanna cry, but also I'm overjoyed. Rafe is soooo Rafe and I can't stop swooning over him. Wiping my drool 'cause it's getting embarassing. 😂
Loved it, Sam!!! ❤❤❤❤💯💯💯 But I seriously want more. I can't believe that it's over. 😭
I want more of my favorite mafia downtown!
Thanks for telling Rafe's story, Sam! I've been rooting for him since the very beginning. Love this man to bits. ❤❤❤
This story has it all, the Morelli drama, the Morelli trap (kinda), the Morelli madness, the Morelli wrath and the Morelli family love. The way Sam plays with her characters will always fascinate me. I love the banters and comebacks exhanged between Virginia and Rafe. Virginia is so gritty & witty and the way her brain turns Rafe on fire is so shattering, in a good way. Damn, the way this woman is fiery and feisty, her attitude&smart ass is so becoming and compelling. The woman who finally tames the beast, the philandering bastard of Vegas. Rafe growing up into the better man made my toes curl and my heart met like butter.😭❤
As if I’m a horse, she pets the side of my head. “Calm down, boy, no one’s trying to saddle you.”
I can’t quite stifle a little smile at her audacity. “You little shit.”
Her eyes sparkle with amusement. “I’m just saying, someone’s getting a little skittish. Maybe a snack will settle you down. Want me to see if I can find you a sugar cube in the kitchen? Maybe an apple?”
I nod. “Keep it up, sweetheart; I’ll give you something to ride.”
😂😂😂 I mean can you feel the love? The sparks? The unspoken feelings? Puppy Rafe is my favorite Rafe, not that I would mind Naked Rafe or drunk Rafe. **sigh** Rafe oozes so much charisma and sexual dynamism. 🌝❤
How Virginia and Rafe play around a little bit and bond over their heartbreak in the beginning makes me want this kinda relationship. You can see that they are both protective towards each other and are always there for each other in their most desperate moments. Mommy Virginia is one of the best😂😂 Her loyalty is truly pledged to Rafe even if the asshole can't see it at first. For crying out loud, the woman gave up on her dream job for you, just to be around you, dick!
From friends, close friends, lovers to husband and wife! Wow. Yes, I do.❤❤
And now, can we please talk about the cameos of MATEO MORELLI, MIA and ADRIAN? I loved them, they added so much more appeal to the story. Plus, I love the bromance between Mateo and Rafe. 🔥🔥
And Mia, oh Mia, you are always good. Thank God for Mia, she is the one who brought Rafe to his senses. The mini heart attack I had when Rafe pulled out his gun, I think my anxiety went through the roof.
This book and conclusion of the Vegas Morelli is the best, in my book. Maybe because of my undying love and loyalty to Rafe. And I love how Virginia is loyal to him. Sorry Laurel, I adore you but V wins this round. And omgg Sin with the babies, made me swoon. Can I call you dada too?😂😂😂
I think family, friendship and loyalty were recurring themes in this book. Family always comes first, no matter what. See how Mateo had Rafe's best interest at heart? How Rafe went protective over Sin when he found out Virginia had more evidence on Sin? And how Vince, Mateo, and Sin were his best men at his wedding? Omg the bromance is getting to me. Even Adrian plays an important part and Rex omg baby! They all had each other's back omg.
BTW, Rex and his Disney fetish killed me.😂😂 I fucking need Rex and Bella's story now. How is Mateo gonna react to that, I wonder? He does like Rex already but I'm sure he will go ungodly Mateo Crazy if Rex and Bella ever hook up.
And omg the Morelli munchkins❤❤ Skylar and Nicky. I almost lost my shit when Rafe was bonding with his baby in the epilogue scene, Nicholas kissed him and he shows some affection by telling the baby he loves him. Aww Raphael Morelli, are you trying to be the death of me? 😍😭
And the hot, steamy sex scenes. Oh my fucking goodness. How I want to lick some cheesecake cream off these yum yum abs. 👅👅💞
And I seriously want Rafe to punish me. How fucked up is this. Some spanking would be okay, since I'm not too much into this kink boat.
Jesus !!Jelly Rafe is so hilarious though😂😂😂
“Um, aren’t we supposed to have a safe word?” I inquire.
“Sure,” he says, straddling my ass and reaching around to firmly cup his hand under my chin, then tug me back like a bow.
“Does my delicate little wife need a safe word for a simple spanking? I’m not sure you could hang with Sin, sweetheart.”
Endless of stars for this book because Sam deserves it for giving us such a beautiful conclusion. I loved the craziness, the drama, and the little ounce of sketchiness. I just loved it all. Sam has outdone herself like always, the Queen deserves a standing ovation for this. Thank you, Sam. I still can't get enough of Rafe and Virginia though. I need more. What happens next?
P.s The disney References were lit!! Comparing Rafe to Prince Hans though😂😂😂 Stop it, you guys.
And yes, let's not forget how Virginia turned Rafe into the beautiful Dumbass in distress and Sin into the Hero.😂😂 God, I love these powerful men's dry sense of humour. 😂😂
Now excuse me, while I go for a re-read and if you haven't read it already, go read it rn!
Once again, well-done, Sam. Bravo. We love you!❤ *Bowing down to the Queen*
August 30, 2018
Now after finishing the previous book, I didn’t know how I was going to feel about Rafe. He started to show things I didn’t like, the way he would handle things was not the rafe we knew when he first met laurel. But when I seen that this book here was for rafe and for his person I couldn’t wait to see how it went. Rafe deserves his own love story and he got one that was for him.
It wholeheartedly consumed me, these characters no matter what have a way of pulling you in and planting themselves inside your heart. From the moment I started this book, I couldn’t put it down. I read in a day span.
Rafe is everything, he is dangerous, funny and is downright gorgeous. He seeks sex appeal and he knows it.
We meet his woman in the previous book, but it was someone who you wouldn’t have thought, he would end up with. He didn’t see her in a romantic way, he saw her as a friend but little did he know that his waitress has been in love with him for years and has kept it hidden because she knew they couldn’t cross those lines.
What happens when lines cross and an epic explosion and love story blooms. When these two unite, it’s explosive, it’s amazing. You know right away that rafe has met his woman and that is Virginia. The chemistry and connection these two have is deep and you just know that they are for each other.
There are plenty twists and turns that will keep you at the edge of your seat. Lies and Secret pasts will be revealed, betrayal, but the main thing is how will they handle it?
I loved watching the development of these two, the push and pull was an amazing ride to watch.
It was a great way to end this series, seeing everyone come together for occasions in this book. It makes you fall more in love with mateo, Mia, Elise, Adrian, Vince, Carly, Laurel, Sin , Rex and the babies who are not so much babies anymore.
Another amazing book by this author, I’m sad to see this series come to end but I am glad these people found their soulmates. Now I can’t wait for the next generation of the morelli family.
It wholeheartedly consumed me, these characters no matter what have a way of pulling you in and planting themselves inside your heart. From the moment I started this book, I couldn’t put it down. I read in a day span.
Rafe is everything, he is dangerous, funny and is downright gorgeous. He seeks sex appeal and he knows it.
We meet his woman in the previous book, but it was someone who you wouldn’t have thought, he would end up with. He didn’t see her in a romantic way, he saw her as a friend but little did he know that his waitress has been in love with him for years and has kept it hidden because she knew they couldn’t cross those lines.
What happens when lines cross and an epic explosion and love story blooms. When these two unite, it’s explosive, it’s amazing. You know right away that rafe has met his woman and that is Virginia. The chemistry and connection these two have is deep and you just know that they are for each other.
There are plenty twists and turns that will keep you at the edge of your seat. Lies and Secret pasts will be revealed, betrayal, but the main thing is how will they handle it?
I loved watching the development of these two, the push and pull was an amazing ride to watch.
It was a great way to end this series, seeing everyone come together for occasions in this book. It makes you fall more in love with mateo, Mia, Elise, Adrian, Vince, Carly, Laurel, Sin , Rex and the babies who are not so much babies anymore.
Another amazing book by this author, I’m sad to see this series come to end but I am glad these people found their soulmates. Now I can’t wait for the next generation of the morelli family.
August 1, 2018
I am super bummed that this was the last book in the Vegas Morellis Series, because I absolutely loved all of these characters. This was Rafe and Virginia's book.
Virginia has this amazing ability to remember EVERY thing and I do mean EVERY THING!
" I remember the face, the dress, the shoes, the smile of every woman Rafe has ever brought through this restaurant. I remember when I didn't care..."
- Despite his role in the world at large, despite even what I already knew about him, Rafe Morelli's first impression in my memory will always be him as my hero.-
I loved this book. I loved Virginia for Rafe. I loved that she didn't hide how she felt for the most part.
" I'm not one of your booth girls, Rafe. More importantly, I have seen all of your booth girls. I know that these breasts don't compare to all the ones I've seen spilling out of clothing at the restaurant." -Virginia
And I loved that Rafe, in his weird little way, tried to ease Virginia's fears...
" If I wanted to fuck you wordlessly like an animal, I would. If I tell you that you have magnificent tits, you do. Take my word for it. If I know any-fucking-thing, I know a nice pair of tits." -Rafe
The back and forth bantering between all of these characters had me cracking up. I mean laughing out loud.
Sam Mariano knows how to add a little humor to the sensual heat that makes a really great read!
" I can't believe you're seriously going to do this for me." " You're like a genie in a bottle." -Virginia
Cheesecake?
" I figured you might need cheesecake."
" That's so wholesome," " Why didn't you just bring me a pan of brownies you made for your church bake sale?"
This was the perfect ending to the Vegas Morellis. I didn't want to spoil any of it, so you just have to trust me and one click!
" Did you get the baby a present?"
" I gave him life. Does that count?"
Virginia has this amazing ability to remember EVERY thing and I do mean EVERY THING!
" I remember the face, the dress, the shoes, the smile of every woman Rafe has ever brought through this restaurant. I remember when I didn't care..."
- Despite his role in the world at large, despite even what I already knew about him, Rafe Morelli's first impression in my memory will always be him as my hero.-
I loved this book. I loved Virginia for Rafe. I loved that she didn't hide how she felt for the most part.
" I'm not one of your booth girls, Rafe. More importantly, I have seen all of your booth girls. I know that these breasts don't compare to all the ones I've seen spilling out of clothing at the restaurant." -Virginia
And I loved that Rafe, in his weird little way, tried to ease Virginia's fears...
" If I wanted to fuck you wordlessly like an animal, I would. If I tell you that you have magnificent tits, you do. Take my word for it. If I know any-fucking-thing, I know a nice pair of tits." -Rafe
The back and forth bantering between all of these characters had me cracking up. I mean laughing out loud.
Sam Mariano knows how to add a little humor to the sensual heat that makes a really great read!
" I can't believe you're seriously going to do this for me." " You're like a genie in a bottle." -Virginia
Cheesecake?
" I figured you might need cheesecake."
" That's so wholesome," " Why didn't you just bring me a pan of brownies you made for your church bake sale?"
This was the perfect ending to the Vegas Morellis. I didn't want to spoil any of it, so you just have to trust me and one click!
" Did you get the baby a present?"
" I gave him life. Does that count?"
July 26, 2020
A FEW SPOILERS AT THE END OF THIS REVIEW:
I enjoyed this book a lot more than the last and I would say that is probably because Laurel wasn't the leading heroine. I really liked Virginia. She was so loyal to Rafe. Her attitude was so refreshing after hearing Laurel whin the whole time in the previous two books.
The one thing that I didn't buy throughout this series is Rafe as a mob boss. He just wasn't that scary to me. There were situations I was like "OK we are gonna see Rafe's mob boss attitude" but never got it.
I was also hoping to see Rafe as a good dad. It didn't make sense to me that family meant so much to him but he was OK with another man raising his son.. his heir. The ending of the epilogue did show a bit of a bond between them but the connection didn't feel close. I was really hoping he would be close with his son by the end..
I did like this series. I did feel invested by the end of it and wanted all the characters to get their HEA.
I would say overall I would give this series a 3 star. I skimmed thru a lot of the inner monologue.
I enjoyed this book a lot more than the last and I would say that is probably because Laurel wasn't the leading heroine. I really liked Virginia. She was so loyal to Rafe. Her attitude was so refreshing after hearing Laurel whin the whole time in the previous two books.
The one thing that I didn't buy throughout this series is Rafe as a mob boss. He just wasn't that scary to me. There were situations I was like "OK we are gonna see Rafe's mob boss attitude" but never got it.
I was also hoping to see Rafe as a good dad. It didn't make sense to me that family meant so much to him but he was OK with another man raising his son.. his heir. The ending of the epilogue did show a bit of a bond between them but the connection didn't feel close. I was really hoping he would be close with his son by the end..
I did like this series. I did feel invested by the end of it and wanted all the characters to get their HEA.
I would say overall I would give this series a 3 star. I skimmed thru a lot of the inner monologue.
May 21, 2020
Very misleading book. The author makes a huge deal about how the hero has a BDSM dungeon/sex playroom. And he and the heroine never use it.
He also talks about other BDSM practices and then he and the hero never do anything in that area. It didn't make much sense.
He also talks about other BDSM practices and then he and the hero never do anything in that area. It didn't make much sense.
July 31, 2021
Still not Mateo, but he did make a few appearances, so there's that. 🤣
August 3, 2018
"I should also remember that Rafe is not my friend. He's a heartbreaker, and I knew it right from the start."
Virginia and Rafe are worlds apart, in no way in this universe did I ever see them getting together, but it worked, until it didn't....With the Author's trademark "surprises" I was swept up in the frustratingly ridiculous character flaws of yet another Morelli, that you want to hate, but just can't find it in yourself to actually do it. Loved seeing characters from other books that I haven't had a good giggle with in some time, and thinking there might be one that needs his own book someday (Hint).
"I don't want to leave, but I can't justify staying either. I can't take the risk that I only want her because I can't have her. I can't risk losing her."
They are off the charts hot together, but neither one seems to be able to let go enough to make it official, so as I threw my kindle around, and cursed them to high heaven, they danced around each other until pretty much the end. The twist threw me for a loop, and I sat way late into the night to finish just to see how it all worked out. I'm super sad to see this series end, as I have felt from the very beginning that the Morellis are a super dysfunctional, yet completely endearing part of my extended family that I have been reading for years. I thank the Author for providing a copy to review!!
"I want to have her, and I want to protect her, and I can't do both."
~~~Erika, Book Haven Book Blog
Virginia and Rafe are worlds apart, in no way in this universe did I ever see them getting together, but it worked, until it didn't....With the Author's trademark "surprises" I was swept up in the frustratingly ridiculous character flaws of yet another Morelli, that you want to hate, but just can't find it in yourself to actually do it. Loved seeing characters from other books that I haven't had a good giggle with in some time, and thinking there might be one that needs his own book someday (Hint).
"I don't want to leave, but I can't justify staying either. I can't take the risk that I only want her because I can't have her. I can't risk losing her."
They are off the charts hot together, but neither one seems to be able to let go enough to make it official, so as I threw my kindle around, and cursed them to high heaven, they danced around each other until pretty much the end. The twist threw me for a loop, and I sat way late into the night to finish just to see how it all worked out. I'm super sad to see this series end, as I have felt from the very beginning that the Morellis are a super dysfunctional, yet completely endearing part of my extended family that I have been reading for years. I thank the Author for providing a copy to review!!
"I want to have her, and I want to protect her, and I can't do both."
~~~Erika, Book Haven Book Blog
April 8, 2019
4.5 Hedonistic stars!! I hated Rafe for what he did to Laurel. I loved Rafe for being sweet when he needed to be. I hated him again for being a giant douche bag and wanted to throat punch him. I loved that you got to see so many of the other Morelli clan in this book. I freaking love Mia!! She is such a shit stirrer!!! I loved how this series ended, it was just fantastic!!!
August 26, 2018
Loved Virginia and Rafe.
Wish we had seen a little more of Rafe's dominant personality in that room of his. Virginia would totally go for it.
Wish we had seen a little more of Rafe's dominant personality in that room of his. Virginia would totally go for it.
Read
September 21, 2018STAYING IN VEGAS (#1)
Amazon ⇢ http://amzn.to/2ps11o6
Amazon UK ⇢ https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07BLXNM8G
Amazon CA ⇢ https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07B07BLXNM8G
Amazon AU ⇢ https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07BLXNM8G
SINNING IN VEGAS (#2)
Amazon ⇢ https://amzn.to/2IfitDu
Amazon UK ⇢ https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07BTZCYY4
Amazon CA ⇢ https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07BTZCYY4
Amazon AU ⇢ https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07BTZCYY4
SUBMITTING IN VEGAS (#3) **PRE-ORDER**
Amazon ⇢ https://amzn.to/2kDxKE1
Amazon UK ⇢ https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07DB3FCVB
Amazon CA ⇢ https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07DB3FCVB
Amazon AU ⇢ https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07DB3FCVB
(Also available on #KindleUnlimited.)
Amazon ⇢ http://amzn.to/2ps11o6
Amazon UK ⇢ https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07BLXNM8G
Amazon CA ⇢ https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07B07BLXNM8G
Amazon AU ⇢ https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07BLXNM8G
SINNING IN VEGAS (#2)
Amazon ⇢ https://amzn.to/2IfitDu
Amazon UK ⇢ https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07BTZCYY4
Amazon CA ⇢ https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07BTZCYY4
Amazon AU ⇢ https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07BTZCYY4
SUBMITTING IN VEGAS (#3) **PRE-ORDER**
Amazon ⇢ https://amzn.to/2kDxKE1
Amazon UK ⇢ https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07DB3FCVB
Amazon CA ⇢ https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07DB3FCVB
Amazon AU ⇢ https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B07DB3FCVB
(Also available on #KindleUnlimited.)
August 10, 2018
Virginia kills it
I'm just going to say it but horray for Virginia. I mean seriously she has some serious brass balls. Her loyalty to Rafe is commendable. I can't believe how this is turning out and I'm so happy for Sin and Laurel. This will be a good one and I'm glad that Rafe and Virginia won't have kids because Nicky will be enough.
I'm just going to say it but horray for Virginia. I mean seriously she has some serious brass balls. Her loyalty to Rafe is commendable. I can't believe how this is turning out and I'm so happy for Sin and Laurel. This will be a good one and I'm glad that Rafe and Virginia won't have kids because Nicky will be enough.
August 12, 2018
I AM SO EXCITED
I swear to all the gods of the universe...You better be somewhere in your house or office writing the next Morelli Mafia story! (In my Rafe voice) Just finished his story and OH MY FREAKING GOODNESS! I WANT RAFE (and the rest of the brood) ON PRIMETIME WEEKLY UNTIL I BREATH MY LAST BREATH! Where are the men like the ones from your books! My heart will not continue to beat if you msg me and tell me THIS IS THE END! First Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and then Prince....I can not live in a world without the Morelli Mafia! Please...Rex waits for Bella to mature because he secretly loves her...the next gen....omgoodness! I just can't with you Sam...I am not above begging PLEASEEEEE (In my Mia voice)!!!!!!!!
I swear to all the gods of the universe...You better be somewhere in your house or office writing the next Morelli Mafia story! (In my Rafe voice) Just finished his story and OH MY FREAKING GOODNESS! I WANT RAFE (and the rest of the brood) ON PRIMETIME WEEKLY UNTIL I BREATH MY LAST BREATH! Where are the men like the ones from your books! My heart will not continue to beat if you msg me and tell me THIS IS THE END! First Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and then Prince....I can not live in a world without the Morelli Mafia! Please...Rex waits for Bella to mature because he secretly loves her...the next gen....omgoodness! I just can't with you Sam...I am not above begging PLEASEEEEE (In my Mia voice)!!!!!!!!
February 21, 2022
Ergh! Was just so over Rafe at this point. Virginia was super cool though! Also sad that they made it like Adrian had to come in and do Sin’s job, but also did he? Didn’t Sin know and was keeping it to himself? What was with the late night visit to Virginia otherwise?? Mia is the best as always!
30/06/2021: upgrading this to three stars, because while it’s still my least favourite of this series, it’s still somewhat decent.
30/06/2021: upgrading this to three stars, because while it’s still my least favourite of this series, it’s still somewhat decent.
April 30, 2020
Made it to the end and Mia and Mateo still dont have a daughter together I could just cry about it😭. Of course Rosalie and Bella were mentioned in this book but I felt it weird that the author didnt even mention Dom when he clearly was at the birthday party with Vince being present and no mention of how baby Tristan is doing since he is a few months older than Nicky.
September 8, 2020
So, this trilogy was really fun. I was hoping this series was going to be a menage and that Rafe, Sin, and Laurel were all going to be together. But I was happy how Sinning in Vegas turned out.
I really liked Virginia from the first two and I was excited to see how her and Rafe moved forward with their "friends to lovers" situation. This was typical for how that trope plays out when one of them is a player. Rafe doesn't think he can commit to her the way she deserves and he freaks out and ruins things a few times.
Just when things might be going to be on the up and up for them... sweet ol' Matteo comes to town and blows shit up. Seriously... just blows it all up. All of Virginia's secrets come roaring to the surface and we lose our chance at happiness, or have we?
I will say, the thing that held it from being a 5 star for me was the continued teasing of BDSM. We joked about needing a "safe word" and oh boy was I ready to see his Play room. But even after Virginia moves in and they are married later, they NEVER GO IN! Talk about leaving a Chekov's flogger on the table. That really disappointed me. Like why... Not even one whipping scene? When she was really into it? Seems like a waste.
Seriously, the TITLE is SUBMITTING in Vegas...
This book was a quick read and I enjoyed wrapping up my time with the Morellis. I want more and I hope the series about the next generation gets written soon.
I really liked Virginia from the first two and I was excited to see how her and Rafe moved forward with their "friends to lovers" situation. This was typical for how that trope plays out when one of them is a player. Rafe doesn't think he can commit to her the way she deserves and he freaks out and ruins things a few times.
Just when things might be going to be on the up and up for them... sweet ol' Matteo comes to town and blows shit up. Seriously... just blows it all up. All of Virginia's secrets come roaring to the surface and we lose our chance at happiness, or have we?
I will say, the thing that held it from being a 5 star for me was the continued teasing of BDSM. We joked about needing a "safe word" and oh boy was I ready to see his Play room. But even after Virginia moves in and they are married later, they NEVER GO IN! Talk about leaving a Chekov's flogger on the table. That really disappointed me. Like why... Not even one whipping scene? When she was really into it? Seems like a waste.
Seriously, the TITLE is SUBMITTING in Vegas...
This book was a quick read and I enjoyed wrapping up my time with the Morellis. I want more and I hope the series about the next generation gets written soon.
August 9, 2018
I gobbled up this series and really wasn't a fan of Rafe's....until this book. Which doesn't mean I still didn't want to hit him over the head with a heavy object at times, but he redeemed himself. Virginia is the perfect woman for Rafe, but how can she make him see that?
There is a LOT of push/pull in this story but it works. At around 74% I couldn't read fast enough...my heart was pounding. My favorite part of the story was story time - loved it!!
There is a LOT of push/pull in this story but it works. At around 74% I couldn't read fast enough...my heart was pounding. My favorite part of the story was story time - loved it!!
July 22, 2019
I mean... it was Rafe! I was expecting a lot more kinky things to be happening. More submissive vibes from Virgina. But I’m glad he got someone whose loyalty was unshakable. He needed that. The story was really good, but this rating is based off the other books in the Morelli family.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2020
I loved the Vegas morelli’s even more than the Chicago Morelli’s
❤️❤️❤️❤️
❤️❤️❤️❤️
August 4, 2018
My favorite Morelli! Rafe oh Rafe, how I love thee!! This man, he is everything. Yes he’s dangerous but he’s also funny and extremely sexy. He’s one of those characters that pull you in and you invest yourself in them.
Virginia is his waitress and really the only true friend he has. She’s loved him for years from a far knowing that she can never cross that line with him. They have to stay friends ..... until they don’t.
These two are explosive! At first I wasn’t really sure how I felt about Virginia. I kinda found her stalkerish and crazy but hey usually at least one person is crazy , we are talking about the Morelli’s.
I enjoyed their story and Sam didn’t a fantastic job writing it. If mafia reads are your thing, you’ll definitely want to read this one. It’s freaking wonderful!
Virginia is his waitress and really the only true friend he has. She’s loved him for years from a far knowing that she can never cross that line with him. They have to stay friends ..... until they don’t.
These two are explosive! At first I wasn’t really sure how I felt about Virginia. I kinda found her stalkerish and crazy but hey usually at least one person is crazy , we are talking about the Morelli’s.
I enjoyed their story and Sam didn’t a fantastic job writing it. If mafia reads are your thing, you’ll definitely want to read this one. It’s freaking wonderful!
January 29, 2023
3.5 Stars
Submitting in Vegas hooked me in from the first page with a strong introduction from Rafe’s number one waitress, Virginia. At first I loved the banter and easy going relationship they shared together. As soon as they entered into the murky “not quite a couple but more than a boss/employee” relationship, it started to lose me.
This is the story of a woman following her dreams who gets distracted by a man who is involved in a life she can’t condone. The conundrum she is forced to face is whether to choose her heart over her head. A chivalrous moment melts her resolve to maintain a healthy distance and she, like many women before her, is slowly trapped by the Morelli charm.
Rafe Morelli is a man who rules the Vegas arm of the Morelli’s by default. He is capable and ruthless but falters when it comes to his personal life. Like his cousin Mateo, he has the ability to turn on his charisma at will. The big difference is that unlike his cousin, Rafe suffers from feelings. This was part of his appeal that drew me to him in the first place. In his hometown and heading the family it was his feelings that dragged his personal life down. Thankfully not for long but enough for me to wonder if the Vegas men had been jinxed by their previous boss’ legacy.
Virginia astutely provides friendly guidance through her carefree, attentive manner whenever she gets to serve his meals to him. Her fantasy is right in front of her but, like most fantasies, the want to bring them to reality is fraught with danger. She is curious and open to spending time with Rafe but cautious of being hurt by knowing how easily he discards partners who no longer serve his interest.
The submitting aspect of the story contained a lot of deliberation. They spent a lot of time chatting before and even during sextivities rather than getting down to business. I began skimming the steamy scenes as the repetition of their mutual admiration they had for each other started to wear thin. I will say though, it showed Rafe’s patience and admiration for Virginia that he was happy to entertain her long-winded dialog during times I thought a sigh and the occasional thanking of a deity would have sufficed.
I went into the Vegas Morelli’s with high expectations and while I have enjoyed this series, I loved Mateo’s branch of the family more. It was clear early on Rafe, being a Morelli, had a lot to live up to and I should have known Mateo set the anti-hero bar high. There was predictability to the drama and often the scenarios had a way of being quickly resolved. My patience was rewarded as the Rafe I admired surfaced and he valiantly accepted the only way forward for him and Virginia.
What I struggled with:
*The overthinking and not owning a decision
*Virginia’s constant chattiness early on
*More relationship angst than drama
What I loved:
*Rafe’s sarcasm when he gets his act together
*Virginia’s caring nature
*The chemistry between characters
*Time with Sin and his family
Submitting in Vegas hooked me in from the first page with a strong introduction from Rafe’s number one waitress, Virginia. At first I loved the banter and easy going relationship they shared together. As soon as they entered into the murky “not quite a couple but more than a boss/employee” relationship, it started to lose me.
This is the story of a woman following her dreams who gets distracted by a man who is involved in a life she can’t condone. The conundrum she is forced to face is whether to choose her heart over her head. A chivalrous moment melts her resolve to maintain a healthy distance and she, like many women before her, is slowly trapped by the Morelli charm.
Rafe Morelli is a man who rules the Vegas arm of the Morelli’s by default. He is capable and ruthless but falters when it comes to his personal life. Like his cousin Mateo, he has the ability to turn on his charisma at will. The big difference is that unlike his cousin, Rafe suffers from feelings. This was part of his appeal that drew me to him in the first place. In his hometown and heading the family it was his feelings that dragged his personal life down. Thankfully not for long but enough for me to wonder if the Vegas men had been jinxed by their previous boss’ legacy.
Virginia astutely provides friendly guidance through her carefree, attentive manner whenever she gets to serve his meals to him. Her fantasy is right in front of her but, like most fantasies, the want to bring them to reality is fraught with danger. She is curious and open to spending time with Rafe but cautious of being hurt by knowing how easily he discards partners who no longer serve his interest.
The submitting aspect of the story contained a lot of deliberation. They spent a lot of time chatting before and even during sextivities rather than getting down to business. I began skimming the steamy scenes as the repetition of their mutual admiration they had for each other started to wear thin. I will say though, it showed Rafe’s patience and admiration for Virginia that he was happy to entertain her long-winded dialog during times I thought a sigh and the occasional thanking of a deity would have sufficed.
I went into the Vegas Morelli’s with high expectations and while I have enjoyed this series, I loved Mateo’s branch of the family more. It was clear early on Rafe, being a Morelli, had a lot to live up to and I should have known Mateo set the anti-hero bar high. There was predictability to the drama and often the scenarios had a way of being quickly resolved. My patience was rewarded as the Rafe I admired surfaced and he valiantly accepted the only way forward for him and Virginia.
What I struggled with:
*The overthinking and not owning a decision
*Virginia’s constant chattiness early on
*More relationship angst than drama
What I loved:
*Rafe’s sarcasm when he gets his act together
*Virginia’s caring nature
*The chemistry between characters
*Time with Sin and his family
May 3, 2021
Loved it
I want more and more Rafe please!
Can’t wait to know more about the next generation!
Oh! And I know Rex is going to steal my heart and I just can’t wait.
I want more and more Rafe please!
Can’t wait to know more about the next generation!
Oh! And I know Rex is going to steal my heart and I just can’t wait.
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