Inhibited

Omertà #3

by Anna Widzisz

Do Made Men have morals?

Once upon a time, Flavio Falcone would have bet his life that the answer was no. In this world of falsehood that he’d been born into, there was no place for something resembling honor. Man of honor was a fucking joke. He’d been taught that at the ripe age of 7. His sister's blood and piercing screams still haunt his nights.

Yet, they haven’t shattered him like they would anybody else. Deep down, Flavio had always known he was different. When other kids, his siblings included, used to play freely, enjoy the little childhood allowed to them, he’d needed to fight to learn to quiet his incessant, unyielding mind.

That's where she came in. Anastasia Costello bound to a cruel destiny and saved by those she would never put her money on. Fighting her own demons that unexpectedly mixed with Flavio's. The monsters of their pasts were there, lurking in the shadows of what was lost and could never be regained.

But someone was playing mind games on the Famiglia, bringing him back to the dark place. A sadistic murderer who’d left a long trail of innocent young girls in his wake. So the only option for Flavio was to surrender to his thoughts once more. The clues were there, he knew they had to be, and all he needed was to find them.

So maybe no morals was a bit of a stretch after all.

*Trigger warning: this book contains sexual assault, child abuse, graphic violence, blood, and foul language. Read at your own risk.

Genres: Mafia Romance

311 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 1, 2020

About the author

Anna Widzisz was born in Poland, got a degree in International Business, and promptly decided spreadsheets weren’t nearly as exciting as smoldering mafia bosses and morally questionable love interests. She’s been writing since she could hold a pen (or possibly a sword—no one’s sure).

When she’s not plotting betrayals or spicy slow-burns, she’s reading like it’s a competitive sport—or actually playing one (she swears it balances out the time spent emotionally wrecking readers). Her fascination with the Mafia runs deep—like, can quote The Godfather in two languages deep.

Approach with caution: she’s charming, clever, and might just make you fall in love with a villain.

https://www.instagram.com/annawidzisz...
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Reviews

[Natalia Lourose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anna has done it again.

Flavio is just amazing. Anna wrote his character in such a compelling way, drawing me into this back story and making me root for him the entire time. His past is tragic and my heart breaks for him.

Anastasia is innocent and pure and everything Flavio needs in life. She also has a tragic past that haunts her.

I’m gonna be honest, I love broken people and this story is about two broken souls learning to be whole together. It has everything you want in a mafia romance.

5 stars and lots of hearts ❤️

[Staphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*

Review/Reseña en Español/English

Español

El tercer libro de esta serie, para comenzar recomendaría que leyeran el libro anterior para conocer un poco cómo es que ambos se conocieron, aunque no se sentirán perdidos con la historia si no lo leen.
Este libro trata de la historia de Flavio Falcone el hermano menor de Noah el Capo de la Famiglia de Las Vegas y Anastasia Costello de La Famiglia de Nueva York, quien debido a las acciones de su padre debe quedarse en Las Vegas cómo “cautiva”, pero no es para nada eso. Ella por diversos motivos no quiere regresar a su casa y si bien tiene miedo de Noah, confía en Flavio y se siente segura con él.

Anastasia fue un personaje complicado, ella comenzó siendo una chica muy temerosa y nerviosa, no tenía amigos, no salía, claro por ser una mujer de la mafia, y el vivir con Flavio fue cambiando eso junto con sus sentimientos, él la trata con respeto y la protew, además que la deja ser ella misma, gracias a esto poco a poco fue formando su personalidad, lo que le gusta y sus límites, fue muy lindo ver como cambió su personaje a lo largo del libro.

Flavio lo ame, su historia es muy triste y los traumas de su infancia lo persiguen noche tras noche. Tiene una condición conocida como inhibición latente, realmente no sabía que era, nunca había escuchado de ella, pero creo que la autora lo explicó de una manera sencilla y general, y pude comprender de qué trata, lo cual obviamente afecta a Flavio. No quiere expresar sus sentimientos y siente que nadie lo comprende, claro hasta que conoce a Anastasia.

Su relación fue muy linda y me tenían harta, lo único que pensaba es que ya acepten sus sentimientos, su relación fue lenta pero la ame, sus paseos en carro y sus pláticas me encantaron, no quiero dar spoilers así que solo diré que me mataron. La confianza que tenían el uno en el otro, cómo se apoyaban y se ayudaban en sus momentos de debilidad fue perfecto.

Pero no todo es lindo porque la trama no solo se trata de su relación, durante el libro deben averiguar quién es el asesino que está causando problemas, donde Flavio debe hacer frente a su pasado y revivir todo lo que sobrevivió para poder atraparlo, así que, consideren que este libro es mucho más turbio que cualquiera que haya escrito la autora, las escenas per se no son tan explícitas pero los recuerdos si lo son, así como las descripciones de los asesinatos.

Personajes secundarios

Noah e Inéz, ya los amaba y eso no va a cambiar, me gusto ver la relación de los hermanos y como Noah se preocupa por Flavio, de igual forma la amistad entre Inéz y Anastasia fue muy linda.

Elio sigue siendo el mejor amigo de Flavio y escuchar de él me sigue matando, solo quiero que tenga un final feliz okay?. Su hermano Fabro por alguna razón me está llamando la atención así que no diré más. Algo que no esperaba me fuera a gustar, fue el tío de Anastasia, me intriga conocer su historia.

Al principio no estaba segura con Lynette, pero es oficial la amo, necesito saber que paso, como cambio y especialmente necesito saber que va a pasar con Drew, porque su padre está de regreso y eso significa problemas.

Para finalizar, me gustó mucho el libro, tiene un buen desarrollo de la relación entre Anastasia y Flavio, trata temas serios de traumas y ansiedad, tiene un poco de misterio y la trama me pareció muy buena, fue de mi gusto y fácil de entender, definitivamente es mi favorito de la serie y me emociona saber que pasara con los demás, lo recomiendo a los que les gustan los libros de mafia, pero recuerden que tiene temas fuertes.

TW: abuso infantil, secuestros, violación, violencia explícita.
Género: Dark Romance, Mafia, Slow-burn.
Heroína: 9/10
Héroe: 10/10
Romance: 10/10
Escenas sexuales: 8/10
Violencia/ escenas turbias: 8/10
Trama: 9/10
Redacción: 9/10

English

The third book in this series, to start I would recommend to read the previous book to know a little about how the two met, although you will not feel lost with the story if you don’t read it.
This book is about the story of Flavio Falcone, the younger brother of Noah the Capo of La Famiglia of Las Vegas and Anastasia Costello of La Famiglia of New York, who due to the actions of her father must stay in Las Vegas as a "captive", but it's not like that at all. She for various reasons doesn’t want to return home and although she is afraid of Noah, she trusts Flavio and feels safe with him.

Anastasia was a complicated character, she began as a very fearful and nervous girl, she had no friends, she didn’t go out, of course because she is a woman born in the mafia, and living with Flavio changed that along with her feelings, he treats her with respect and protects her, besides letting her be herself, so little by little she was growing and forming her personality, what she likes and her limits, it was very nice to see how her character changed throughout the book.

Now Flavio, I just love him, his story is very sad and the traumas of his childhood haunt him night after night. He has a condition known as latent inhibition, I didn't really know what it was, I had never heard of it, but I think the author explained it in a simple and general way, and I was able to understand what it is about, which obviously affects Flavio. He does not want to express his feelings and feels that no one understands him, of course until he meets Anastasia.

Their relationship was very sweet and they had me screaming, the only thing I wanted was for them to accept their feelings, their relationship was slow but I loved it, their car rides and their talks, it was perfect, I don't want to give spoilers so I'll just say that they killed me. The trust they had in each other, how they supported and helped each other in their moments of weakness was beautiful.

But not everything is good because the plot is not only about their relationship, during the book they must find out who the murderer was, where Flavio must face his past and revive everything he survived in order to catch him, so consider that this book is way more darker than any that the author has written, the scenes per se are not as explicit but the memories are, as well as the descriptions of the murders.

Secondary characters

Noah and Inéz, I already loved them and that will not change, I liked seeing the relationship between the brothers and how Noah cares about Flavio, in the same way the friendship between Inéz and Anastasia was very beautiful.

Elio is still Flavio's best friend and hearing about him keeps killing me, I just want him to have a happy ending, okay?. His brother Fabro for some reason is calling my attention so I will not say more. Something that I didn’t expect that I was going to like, was Anastasia's uncle, I am intrigued to know his story.

At first I wasn’t sure with Lynette but it is official I love her, I need to know what happened, what make her change and I especially need to know what will happen with Drew, because his father is back and that means problems.

To finish, I really liked the book, it has a good development of the relationship between Anastasia and Flavio, it deals with serious issues of trauma and anxiety, it has a bit of mystery and the plot seemed very good, it was to my taste and easy to understand. It is definitely my favorite of the series and I am excited to know what will happen with the others, I recommend it to those who like mafia books, but remember that it has strong themes.

TW: child abuse, kidnapping, rape, explicit violence
Genre: Dark Romance, Mafia, Slow-burn.
Heroine: 9/10
Hero: 10/10
Romance: 10/10
Steamy Scenes: 8/10
Violence/dark scenes: 8/10
Plot: 9/10
Writing: 9/10

[Kira Laurent · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK, the rumbling is coming because I have so much to say about this book. I wanted to wait until the ARCs were out but I just couldn't.

I didn't just read this book, I laughed, cried, screamed, gasped, snorted and more. My emotions were all over the place. From the moment I read Untamed I knew Flavio Falcone would be a complicated character, but even in my wildest dreams I wouldn't have guessed just how much. The way the author created him with such depth was incredible. I don't even know what to say about her ability to mix the mental illness in this (one that I haven't even heard about before) and make me want to read even more about it. I'm not joking - I straight up went to google Low Latent Inhibition. It was so intriguing, and I could tell that Anna made a great research. And she didn't just gave your textbook definition but showed how it is to LIVE with this condition from the person's point of view. I'd suggest not googling it before you read the book thought. Read the book first.

Flavio was a dick in all the books I've read from Anna. And still I wanted to know more about him. But Oh My God I didn't expect him to become someone I understood perfectly. Even if I couldn't really put myself in his situation. I JUST FELT THAT!

Now Anastasia... This girl is something else. She was soft but also really strong. She had her own demons to fight and I couldn't just ignore how extremely different it hit when she was with Flavio. And how different he was with her around. The intensity... WOW!

I wouldn't be myself if I didn't mention Noah as well. I'll never stop loving this guy, but after Inhibited I really hope there's something more for him and Inéz because I feel like their story has even more things to cover. Also Lynette - HOLY FUCK! The transformation she had was awesome. I've never read a female character like her, and I love it. She's pushed all the female characters in any book I've read before far behind. She defined a strong female character all over again for me.

I beta read it for Anna, and I really wish I could read this book one more time for the very first time. This is how PERFECT it was. She put so many feelings in it that it took a piece of my heart.

For those who wish to read Inhibited, you should. Though be aware of triggers. Anna is not hiding that this book has perhaps the worst ones, and it's not like she only briefly mentions them. She goes further than that. So if child mental and physical abuse, sexual assault and violence is not something you can read, don't. This book is wonderful, showing you many problems in this world, but it's also not for everyone.

[Natalie Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could rate this book million stars, better believe me that I would.

If you liked Innocent - good. If you loved Untamed - great. With Inhibited, you won't know what you're really feeling. It's all adoration, love and whatever else. Flavio's character didn't come as complicated as he is in reality. In neither of the books. Each chapter you peel off another layer of who he is as a person and you're getting even more surprised that there is a person who goes through things like this on daily basis. And when he told Anastasia about the way his brain works? I was blown away!

Flavio and Anastasia are complete opposites when you first meet them. She seems vulnerable but kind, he is an asshole who could care less about anyone. Well... I couldn't be more wrong. They are both one and the same. Both so amazingly strong. Developed in such tough circumstances that I couldn't get myself together long enough before another thing about them came crushing through me.

The level of psychological depth is something I didn't expect going into this book. I read all the other books and whoever else does - you already think you know Flavio. You have it best people because he's going to turn your opinion around and you'll never look at him the same.

I could talk for hours about how amazing Inhibited was. I could easily tell you that each chapter is my favorite and that would be 100% true. Whether you read the books before this or not, read it. It will open your mind to what people are out there. How much they can struggle, but also how beautiful their minds are.

[whatjtreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by Anna Widzisz, and Inhibited is part of her Omerta series. Though I haven't read the other two books, it is not needed to enjoy this one. This book focuses on our main character Flavio Falcone, who is the underboss of the Las Vegas Falcone mafia family. Flavio's older brother Noah is the current mafia don. When we begin the story, Flavio is dealing with the mysterious murders happening on his turf, in which young girls are raped and murder. As he and his mafia family deal with this mystery, Flavio is also taking care of Anastasia Costello, the mafia daughter from a family in New York. Anastasia stays with Flavio in his apartment, and though she stays out of his way, Anastasia cannot ignore the pull that she feels toward Flavio.

Though Flavio is the underboss of the family, he has conflicted feelings about his work because he's never wanted to join the mafia. The only reason he does so is because his older brother is the boss, and the brothers stick together. Flavio is young, but he's suffered a harsh upbringing. His father was callous and cold, and Flavio himself suffered through a traumatic event when he was younger. The event left him with scars, both emotional and physical, and Flavio avoided interacting with strange people unnecessarily. Anastasia herself also suffered through her own traumatic experiences, and she wants nothing more than to leave her past behind. She is lonely but she doesn't complain about her situation, unassuming and quietly strong, and she's sure of what she wants. Her role in the story is to show Flavio that he, no matter how broken, is capable of love, acceptance, and some normality in his life.

This book had some parts that were confusing, especially when there are flashbacks. Some transitions or different font would set off the parts where Flavio flashes back to the past so it's a bit more obvious. I also wish that Anastasia had a bigger role in the story. She seems like a strong character, but her role relegated her to a very minor romantic character. There is also mention of Flavio's mental health condition, low latent inhibitation, but I wish more of this was woven throughout the plot. It would've provided a bit more context about how Flavio viewed himself, and how this affected him during his trauma and after. Rather than talking about him simply having this condition, it would've created complexity in his character to show how he acts and feels daily because he has to live with this condition.

[huh_lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inhibited, is book three in Anna Widzisz’s Omertà series. Once I opened the book, I couldn’t put it down and read through the night. Brace yourself for a rollercoaster of emotions!

*trigger warning, read book with caution*
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Flavio Falcone is emotionless, cold, and calculating. He’s haunted by the horrors he faced as a child. When a sadistic murderer leaves a trail of innocent girls, his nightmares becomes a reality. Anastasia Costello is bound to an unfortunate fate and has lived in hell her whole life. When she’s saved by the Falcones, her demons entangle with Flavio’s. In order for both of them to thrive they’ll have to face hell together.
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After the second book, I needed Flavio’s story! His story is tragic and broken and so is Anastasia’s. I wasn’t quite sure where these two would end up but their story is just the beginning to their new life. My favorite excerpt from the book, which details the relationship between Flavio and Anastasia:

“It wasn’t hard to see that they both needed each other even if they didn’t know it yet. Both were broken, closed off in their own worlds that somehow collided with such force that left neither of them capable of turning their backs on it.”

I usually don’t quote much when reviewing because I don’t want to reveal too much of the plot. But Anna’s world and her characters have to be shared! I don’t think I can review Flavio and Anastasia without this excerpt.

With their past settled, I hope they both live the life they deserve. Maybe even a joint venture between the Las Vegas and New York Famiglias can further their bonds. Lastly, I’m hoping we get more insight on their life moving forward in the series, if not, I am settled with these two knowing comfort.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pulse-racing and very intense!

WOW! Flavio and Anastasia’s story had my pulse racing and my palms sweating. It’s an intense and thrilling rollercoaster ride.

I was completely glued to my seat from its very intense beginning, right to that amazing ending. Their story is dark and gritty as both of them come from dark pasts and rough upbringings.

Flavio and Anastasia’s relationship is slow burn but the build up is worth it. They have a lot of issues to deal with in order to make it work.

This story was entertaining to read, with some suspense, thrills and murder and mayhem. It has everything a great mafia story needs.

[cardansjudee · Rating 5 out of 5]

“And if the world thinks it can keep us apart, then it hasn’t been paying any goddamn attention. There’s nothing, nothing, I wouldn’t do just to have you by my side.”

1st Reread.
Flavio and Anastasia are so close to my heart like I love this book so fucking much. This book is everything to me. 😭😭😭

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5+ STARS!
Honestly this book deserves more than fucking five stars!
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

Inhibited has my whole heart. This book is perfection in ways I can’t even explain! Anna Widzisz had became my one of the favourite authors since the time I read the first book by her which was Crossfire and since then she has never let me down with her books. I go into her books with certain expectations and come out with getting more than what I expected for.
When I read the blurb for inhibited I will lying if I said I wasn’t excited.
Receiving an ARC of this book was an honor.
Flavio and Anastasia’s story was nothing like I expected of. From the starting till the end, this book kept me hooked! This book had so so many great moments like the way Flavio opened up to Anastasia, Flavio and Elio’s friendship moments, Noah saying it wasn’t Flavio’s fault, and so much more.
Honestly, Flavio Falcone has my whole heart! I just don’t know why but I think I connect to his character so much, and how he is. He is like such a beautiful and amazing person! Never in my life I ever thought I would a man so much as much as I love Flavio Falcone!
Anastasia, my Queen! She is like so amazing I can’t even describe how beautifully her character is written. Somehow I feel if Savannah and Anastasia meet each other, they would be best friends but of course Anna’s smirk can be scary sometimes, so if the opposite happens, I am gonna be in shock for days still I guess.
I don’t think I will be ever getting over this book. My thoughts are mess and I am speechless so I guess this is where this review ends but I think I will write a proper, better review which this book clearly deserves by me soon! <3
Till then, go and read this damn book!

[Nagma (Take A Look At My Bookshelf) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inhibited is the third book in the Omertà series by Anna Widzisz and it can be read as a standalone. This is the first book I’ve read by Anna, I do believe reading the first two books in the series is beneficial, but the fact that I hadn’t read the previous books in the series didn’t take away from the book itself. Inhibited is the story of two broken individuals, Flavio Falcone of the Las Vegas Famiglia and Anastasia Costello of the New York Famiglia. Flavio and Anastasia are fighting the demons of their pasts when they meet.

Flavio has low latent inhibition meaning he sees, observes, and interprets EVERYTHING he sees. His mind is on a never-ending loop, constantly thinking of all possible outcomes and results. This makes him unique and different from others and it also means that the nightmare from his past is ever-present in his mind. He is a complicated character with so many layers.

Anastasia has been restricted all her life as a part of the New York Famiglia. She may seem soft and timid, but she is strong in her own way and is fighting her own demons.

The chemistry between Flavio and Anastasia is intense and unique. They understand each other in a way that the people closest to them are unable to. Their relationship is different from what you’d expect from other Mafia romances, there was no force involved in the way their relationship developed. They were simply two individuals who were their best when together. Flavio is not someone who talks about his emotions; however, with Anastasia, Flavio feels comfortable talking about his feelings and emotions. Anastasia has never truly felt at home with her family, but with Flavio she feels at peace.

Flavio was the center of this story and most of it revolved around his role in the Las Vegas Famiglia and the horrors of his past. The flashbacks were confusing, but as someone who has low latent inhibition and his nightmares could be triggered by the smallest things the confusion surrounding the flashbacks is understandable. This means that at any moment in time Flavio could be thrown into the nightmares of his past and forced to relive it. I wish we had more insight into Flavio’s condition and his thoughts. Anastasia, however strong of a character, was delegated to the role of a somewhat minor character and her demons seemed small in comparison to Flavio’s.

Overall this was a great Mafia story with thrills, murder, mystery, action, and romance. I’m looking forward to more of Anna’s work and I’ll be reading the other two books in the Omertà series.

Inhibited does have triggers, so be aware. This book mentions the mental and physical abuse of a child, sexual assault, and violence, so reader discretion is advised.

*I received an advanced copy and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.*

[vxhexn reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inhibited was my first Anna book and book 3 in her Omerta series. I had no problems reading this as a standalone. Like most series out there, it may have been helpful to read the first two books in the series but I was thankful they were not an obligation.
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In the past month I’ve gone through quite a few emotionally heavy books and this one didn’t give me a break. Don’t get me wrong I’m a huge fan of dark books with all the feels, it just seems I’ve picked ones with the same type of traumatic pasts back-to-back.
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Flavio and Anastasia are two people fighting to overcome things that have damaged their psyches in the past. I’d go so far as to say they are broken and damaged. I enjoyed getting to see them grow together as a couple and heal in their own ways.
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If you’re a mafia fan, this book (series) is one you need to add to your reading lists now. You won’t be disappointed. I do feel the need to mention that the trigger warnings are there for a reason. If anything related to child abuse, mental and physical, upsets you don’t go into this book expecting it to be a passing mention. The author doesn’t gloss over the harsh pasts of her characters.


𝓋𝓍𝒽𝑒𝓍𝓃_𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹𝓈
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[juna · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You’ll stay with me for as long as you are here. That way you’ll be protected. I can promise you that.”

This is my first book by Anna Widzisz and Inhibited is part of her Omerta series. I have a copy of the first 2 books but I haven't read it yet since I've read this book first but it is not needed to read to enjoy this one, you can still understand what is happening. This book focuses on our main character Flavio Falcone, who is the underboss of the Las Vegas Falcone mafia family and Anastasia Costello who is a daughter of a mafia man from New York.

All I can say is that this book is an absolute must read for mafia readers! I just love this book!🖤 I'm gonna read the first 2 books now, adios!

[Theresa Doherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it but the use of under boss instead of Flavio did grate on me, Anastasia had a story to tell but sometimes it felt a little missed up, but was a good story. I voluntarily reviewed this book.