Forbidden Love

The Mackenzies #1

by Elizabeth Knox

Caprice
I left because I had to, my father was selling me off to the most dangerous man in the world like I was a prized pony. There was already so much taken from me at the hands of my father, and I would allow nothing else to be ripped from me – especially my future.
It was simple. I found a new identity. I wasn’t Caprice DiGiovanni, I was Amber, a sweet and sassy southern girl from Alabama. I ran to the last place my father would expect me to go – Ireland.
Everything was working out great for me, that is, until Sergei found me.
I just never anticipated Liam Mackenzie coming to bat for me.
He knew Amber, he never knew Caprice.
Now he’s got us both.

Liam
From the second she walked into my bar and asked for a job I knew she was special. Something about this southern girl caught my eye. It didn’t take me very long to discover that she was hiding something, her awful accent was proof of that.
It turns out she was far rarer than I could ever imagine.
When her world came crashing down around her, I was the one ready to pick her up. It didn’t matter that she was off limits, or that she was forbidden in every sense of the word. I’d find a way to make her mine, and I did.
Caprice DiGiovanni is my forbidden love.

Genres: Mafia Romance, Contemporary, Romantic Suspense, Romance, Slow Burn, Dark Romance

Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2019

About the author

Elizabeth Knox is a USA Today Bestselling romance author who specializes in romantic suspense, and dark romance. She’s well-known for her intense page-turning motorcycle clubs, and sinister dark mafia books. 

While Elizabeth loves to write, she is an avid reader as well, who reads a mixture of genres. She lives on a farm with her husband in the northeastern United States with her rescue animals. When she isn’t working, you can find her horseback riding, riding ATVs, or out on the farm with her animals.

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Reviews

[Jenn Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Audiobook Review**

Forbidden Love by Elizabeth Knox is a thrilling dark, mafia romance, that is action packed from beginning to end. From the first chapter right to the epilogue I was pulled in by suspense, danger, mystery and jaw dropping twists.

Caprice is on the run with her sister, as she refused to be married off to a dangerous man, which her father had arranged. She seeks protection of the Irish mafia and flees to Dublin, Ireland. I admired Caprice's tenacity and strong, fierce nature. She doesn't hesitate to stand up for what she believes in.

Liam is fiercely loyal to his family, and the moment he realizes who Caprice is, he doesn't hesitate to protect her and bring her into the Mackenzie family. He is fiercely protective of Caprice, and will stop at nothing to ensure her safety. Although their relationship begins as a political pairing, the romance between them quickly heats up and I adored the way there love grows into something strong and unbreakable.

Gabriel Thorne and Rose McMahon were fantastic bringing this story to life. I loved Gabriel's Irish brogue and Rose's delivery of Caprice was strong and engaging. I look forward to more by these narrators in the future.

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Running From Mob

It’s one thing to be running from the mob but when that mob’s boss is your very own father things turn dark quickly. To make this even better Caprice runs to the safety within another mob with Liam Mackenzie as the heir apparent to the Irish Mob. Caprice learns that not all men in the mafia are as sick as her father. She just wants to protect herself and her sister from their evil that their world revolved around.

This book was filled with dark grittiness and a budding love for Caprice and Liam. Believe me there are twists and turns aplenty. I can’t wait to see what comes next for the Mackenzie’s!

[Patti Gunkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked from the moment I started reading this book. I couldn't stop reading it. I had to know what happened next.

[Sandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caprice is desperate to escape the arranged marriage her father is forcing her into. She runs to the only place she can think of to hide, under the nose of her father’s rival. But a fake name and a fake accent aren’t much for keeping Liam from discovering who she really is. They also don’t keep him from falling for her sweetness and beauty. But things quickly spiral out of control, forcing a fake, and then maybe not so fake marriage, in a heat of the moment decision. But their love is forbidden, and despite their growing emotions, they don’t know how they would ever have their happily ever after. I love the dynamic between Liam and Caprice, they have great chemistry and some good banter. The way they get their HEA is also interesting, and made for an engrossing story.

[Cynthia Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caprice and Liam take you on an action packed, emotional read full of twist and turns your head will spin and the more you find out what life was like for Caprice you heart will break for and all she has had to endure. On the run and hiding from her father she might find more than what she expected working for Liam but when she is found and her and her sister lives are danger can Liam save them before its too late or will the danger find them. Another amazing read that will have you on the edge of your seat wanting more and more can't wait to read what she has next

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caprice’s father is selling her off to a dangerous man and so she takes her sister and runs. When Liam meets Caprice, sparks fly and he gives her a job, but he knows she is keeping something from him. Then her past catches up with her, can he keep her safe? Fast-paced read with loads of drama, suspense and steam. Great characters with lots of depth and an intense story. I love it.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caprice/Amber is part of the famiglia but never treated well. Her father uses her as a tool, a bargaining chip. He tosses her to his men who do good. He did that five years before and after she delivered that man's daughter her father gave her daughter to that man. She's only there to keep him from doing the same things to her 17 year old sister who only sees her father in a golden light. But now she's learned she's been sold to another in a deal. Now she's going to make her and her sister disappear. Never again will she let him use her. On the ship to Ireland she finally tells her sister the facts of what their father has done and will do to her sister too.
Liam is called into his father's office to be told that the DiGiovanni girls have gone missing. To keep an eye out and an ear open.
CapriceAmber feels safe in Ireland because she heard the head of the Irish mob Mackenzie family tell her father he wasn't welcomed in Ireland unless invited. So she goes job hunting at the pub named Maeve where Liam Mackenzie runs and owns. He refuses to hire her if she doesn't fill out the papers for employment. That night she comes to work and when he takes her to task she tells him she'll work for tips. Then he walks her home only to be almost assassinated. He protects her then get her home. There his father lets him know that DiGiovanni went public and Sergei offered a reward. He gets shown a picture and it's his new waitress. But he won't tell his father or Caprice/Amber. Then he goes to speak to his stepmother who his father has kept alive through medical machines.
A week or so later Sergei arrives to retrieve his pet. Liam tells him he will not take his wife. After making his point by shooting him the shoulder when he went for Caprice/Amber. Soon after he tells his driver to take him to Father O’Sullivan’s cottage. He's the family priest and he will be marrying her because what he doesn't have a reputation for is being a liar. This will give her and her sister added protection. He sends Luca, his driver/bodyguard, to get her sister only he has to save her from Sergei who is already at the apartment preparing to take her instead. He gets her away. They get to the priest's home and somehow Luca finds himself married to Alessandra. Now she and Liam are talking to his father. Where they tell him what has happened. Then they're told that her father wants to visit to make sure all is on the up and up. In their room later she tells him about her daughter.
He tells her they work with an MC in the states whose Prez is Boss and rumors are that Sergei and the father of her daughter are into human trafficking.
Unfortunately in an argument with her younger sister she finds it was her who was the rat. Alessandra trusted the oldest of the triplets who loves to play father's games. But Alessandra doesn't see it that way.
So many secrets, lies and anger held back in what was termed as protecting. Now it's all coming back to bite Caprice/Amber. But she has the Mackenzie clan now even if her sister is to stupid to see that. With her father coming will that mean war is on the horizon for Ireland and the Italian Mafia?
Who will win??
A story with intrigue and danger and a bit of love mixed in.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Raven9308 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never read or listened to anything from this author so this audiobook was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed this short listen and am eager to listen to others in this world after how well done book 1 was. I absolutely loved the MMC in this story, I wanted one of my own, not gonna lie haha! He had the gruff exterior but had the most gooey center and I thought how his loved bloomed for the FMC was great. I especially loved him switching to his native tongue to call her things 😍😍.

We get to see what its like in the mafia life with the different families involved all over the world and the intricate stories amongst them all. I am intrigued to see if the FMC's little sister will get her won story after she is forced to do something to keep her safe and out of the clutches of the baddies and their family. I thought the vileness of some of the characters was captured really well by this author and shone in terms of the story. This trope has been done a bunch before so nothing that was done in this one surprised me, but it was well written so that helped elevate it to 5 stars ❤️

I thought the despicable things done to Caprice (our FMC) was tough and how she had to slowly open her heart up to Liam (our MMC) and be comfortable enough again to let a man be with her was touching. I liked how even though there was instant chemistry, the love grew over a short time, especially during the high-stakes events and life-threatening moments. Great job by this author reeling us listeners/readers in and waiting for the rest to be on audio as well 😊

In terms of the narration, these were new to me performers so I was happy with their performances, I will definitely listen to them again in the future. I thought the accents were done well, the only criticism would be in the beginning with the FMC is pretending to be from the south, she changes her accent, but when its from the MMC's perspective, she reverts back to her Italian accent randomly. I would give Gabriel 5/5 because I like his different accents he did and he really delved into this characters. I thought Rose was a 4/5 stars performance, I liked her rendition but definitely like Gabriel's better haha. I didnt feel like some of her emotional performances matched what was in the story, but I would overall give the narration 5/5 stars!!

🎧 Audiobook Obsession Reviewer - Flock Team 🎧

[Sandy S · Rating 4 out of 5]

FORBIDDEN LOVE is the first instalment in Elizabeth Knox’s contemporary, adult MACKENZIES erotic, Irish Mafia romance series. This is Liam Mackenzie, and Caprice DiGiovanni’s story line.

NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise, there may be triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from three first person perspectives (Liam, Caprice, Luca) FORBIDDEN LOVE follows the marriage of convenience between Liam Mackenzie, and Caprice DiGiovanni. Caprice DiGiovanni has been used and abused by her father’s men all of her life, and with her younger sister in tow, Caprice escapes to Ireland, where she will begin working for Liam Mackenzie, the heir to the Irish mob but Caprice’s past has discovered her whereabouts, and Liam is determined to protect the woman with whom he will fall in love. Nothing goes according to plan as Caprice’s sister Alessandra now sits in the direct line of fire, and her only salvation is to marry as well but Alessandra is unaware of the truth, and places a target on our story line heroine. No one is safe as the vultures begin to circle, taking aim at Caprice, and the Mackenzie family.

The world building follows several pathways including the questionable DiGiovanni family dynamics, and the Mackenzie secrets that are about to be revealed. Caprice’s heart breaking past refuses to back down, as her father is determined to take back control of our story line heroine.

The relationship between Liam and Caprice begins as a lie when Caprice applies for a job at Liam’s bar but within hours, Liam is wholly aware of the who and what of our story line heroine, and is determined to protect the woman with whom he will fall in love. The $ex scenes are limited but seductive and passionate.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful, energetic and often questionable secondary and supporting characters. We are introduced to Liam’s father Desmond Mackenzie, housekeeper Maeve, Liam’s right hand man Luca, Caprice’s eighteen year old sister Alessandra, their father Gabriele DiGiovanni, and physician Cecilia. The requisite evil has many faces, not everyone will survive.

FORBIDDEN LOVE is a story of many secrets and lies, betrayal and vengeance, power and control, family and relationships, acceptance and love. The premise is dramatic and edgy; the romance is steamy; the characters are desperate and dynamic.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating reading, Russian mafia and Irish mafia families come together
Caprice DiGiovanni has been living a terrible existence, she has been used by her mafia father in the most horrible ways possible, it is impossible to believe that that a father can actually put his daughter through the horrors he has as well as having her daughter snatched away as well.
Caprice has taken her younger sister Alessandra and has hidden out with her in Ireland and it is simply a matter time before her father finds out where she is but had not though it would happen so quickly and this is because someone has let their triplet know where they are and now the only way to save them is to marry Liam and his best friend and bodyguard.
Sergei Kolosov, the man she is supposed to marry is known for beating his previous wives and he even has forced one to have an abortion, now that her father has reached out to Liams father and discovered that she is married to him he intends to visit to ensure that there is no Blarney being pulled over his eyes. However, their greater concern is in fact Sergei who had thought that he would simply be offered Alessandra instead now that she has just turned eighteen, he is ruthless killer that will do anything to win.
I thought that the way in which Caprice had been honest and told Liam that she had already been put through hell by her father, he had not realised that her daughter had been snatched away from her on the day she was born by her father and given to his uncle-in-law who they all despise and would like to see dead. Caprice is determined to get Piper back no matter what she has to do and hopes that Liam will consider helping her if at all possible?
This is a riveting read and I guarantee that you will not be able to put this book down until you reach the end.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading any future publications; keep up all the wonderful writing.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shy Gawerecki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook Review:

3.5 of 5 stars
This is a dark romance set in the criminal/cartel world. It was surprising and thrilling and full of secrets. After finishing it I definitely knew that I’d want to hear more of the series and these characters, even if there were a few things that I didn’t love. One of the characters in particular for me didn’t quiet redeem herself enough to be likable by the end. There were too many moments that I couldn’t just chalk up as the character being young or naïve. Some of her actions felt too much like betrayal to me and could have gotten other characters killed. There were also so many secrets in the seemingly close knit Mackenzie family. It was as though every couple of chapters (if not sooner) something new was being revealed that ended up upsetting the balance or hurting someone. It wouldn’t have been so bad if it didn’t make me question just how close they are and their overall bond. Also there were a few loose thread plot lines that weren’t resolved by the end of story. As I know this series will continue, I am hopeful I will get answers to those questions, but it just seemed like a lot of it was specific to these main characters so if other characters are the focus of future books, how will that work? I guess I’ll just have to wait and see.

On the other hand, there were several things I did like about this story. The main characters Liam and Caprice were really likable individually and together. For the most part I loved the family loyalty shown by Liam’s family. They clearly loved each other and were willing to make sacrifices to protect one another. It was very refreshing to see especially in comparison to Caprice’s family. Another thing that I also really liked was the narration. Both narrators did a very good job especially with at least three different accents that needed to be voiced. And there were so many characters to give different tones to as well. It was very well done.
🎧The Flock🎧

[Emi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really fond of the story and liked characters. Unfortunately Caprice was not my favorite main character. She said multiple times how she'd sheltered her sister Al of Caprices reality and life in the family yet when her 17 year old sister, whom she basically coerced to flee family she loves and was happy with, doesn't fall in line and just accept everything Caprice tells her as absolute truths as they do not line with her experiences - Caprice acts as if her sister is stupid or incompetent even though the troubles she has are actually partly Caprices fault as she had decided to let her sister live and grow up in the lalaland. I understood how frustrated Caprice got but that wasn't only time her actions made me think that she dismisses other peoples feelings. I felt like she did that to Liam when he felt hurt, betrayed by his loved ones who lied to him for years. When he'd been lonely as a child and adult feelings that are hurtful and could have been prevented with honesty -- Caprice basically tells him his hurt and feelings don't matter, issue isnt big enough and he should just get over it. She did similar things other times too which made me not too fond of her. Liam was amazing and he really lived like he preaches so to speak. He has his own values but he lives by them. I felt like because he's a strong man from a powerful family that his feelings were overlooked even by family members. It seemed like they'd say "its okay to be hurt but we had a good reason for it so get over it" and that pissed me off. I felt for him and I understood him well - absolutely disbise lying and he uncovered too much deception.
I did like the story in overall. Loved the Mackenzie-familys family first mentality and how protective they were. I am interested to read more of this family and their inner f.ex. about Luca and Al.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was captivating, entertaining reading bringing the worlds of mafia families together, Italian, Irish, Russian and Mexican.
Caprice the daughter of an Italian Don has been mercilessly mistreated as a pawn by her father, thrown in as an added bonus to seal a deal, an enticement to finalise a contract. After getting pregnant on one of these occasions, her baby girl was stolen from her shortly after birth.
She has now been promised to an horrific man Sergei, who is Russian mafia, he is known for beating his previous wives. Caprice knows that once she has to marry Sergei and is not available to her father he is going to look to her younger sister Alessandra. She absolutely couldn’t let that happen!
Caprice has a careful escape plan and they arrive in Ireland where her goal is to meet
Liam, who is heir to the Irish mafia, she knows they protect family and women in their families are respected unlike her family. She goes to work in his pub and proves very popular, she hasn’t been honest with him and told him who she is or why she is there yet though, until one night Sergei turns up at the pub to claim his “fiancé “ Liam announces that Caprice is his wife, a visit to the family priest on Allessandra’s 18th birthday ends up with her being married to Luca, Liam’s best friend and an agreement by the priest to sign a wedding certificate that Liam and Caprice were married the previous day, and a promise to the priest from Liam that they would be back for the ceremony. This was the best way Liam and Caprice thought would protect both Allessandra and Caprice.
There are many more twists in the story, a couple of bombshells, action, drama and romance.
This is a riveting read , I couldn’t put it down until the last page, loved it!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit that I haven't read any of Elizabeth's MC books, so I have no context for this one which apparently was originally an offshoot from the Skulls Renegade MC series. I don't think that affected my understanding of the events in this book. I will admit that certain parts of it got confusing, mainly some revelations about Liam's family members. I also thought that something that happens to Caprice near the end of the book was unnecessary for the story.

Caprice is the daughter of an Italian-Ametican mafia Don. Her father has been giving her to business associates for years, but now he plans to marry her off to a Russian arms dealer who has a reputation for doing really bad things to his wives. She grabs her younger sister, who is possibly destined to be her replacement, and jumps a ship to Ireland. There, she takes a fake name and goes to work at a pub owned by a local mafia family hoping to use them for cover/insurance. When her 'fiance' somehow finds her, she is shocked when her boss, Liam, tells the man they are married and throws him out.

Liam was aware of who 'Amber' really was but had not confronted her about it...yet. When the pig that was Sergei Kolosov come into his pub thinking he can just grab Caprice and walk out, Liam acts before he thinks. He now has to get the two of them married, like yesterday. He also ends up getting her sister hitched to his best friend, sort of a two-for-one deal. Now, he just has to convince Caprice to give him a chance and protect her from the circling wolves. It seems her father and Sergei are taking things personally.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mafia Wife · Rating 3 out of 5]

Born a mafia princess, but used by her father as a pawn, she has taken the abuse for years, hoping to save her sister from the same fate. But upon hearing her father intends to sell her to a sadistic man to be his bride, she knows her sister won't be safe for long. She takes her sister and flees to Ireland, hoping her father will never look for them in plain sight of the Irish Mob. She is making it work until they are found, and her boss heir to the Irish family, claims her as his bride to save her from being taken. These two characters were well developed and layered. It was easy to invest in them. They had some mutual pining, and a bit of a slow burn as they navigated the danger around them. I did feel that this got a little chaotic and unfocused as it went on, not giving much time on page to solidify their relationship. They do finally get spicy, but mostly it is inferred as they move from event to event in the story. It felt like each encounter was a separate island instead of building the relationship in steps. I wanted more cohesion and better transition of the story. There were things that were left unresolved, which were fairly major including what happens with her sister... who is an on page character in this story. I went to check out the next books in the series to find that they are about his sisters that are not on page characters in this story, so it feels like we were left a little bit hanging. Overall it had two solid characters, a decent beginning but it never solidified for me.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ronel Olver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a gripping page turner and succeeds in keeping the reader on the edge of their seat, captivated and with baited breath, while experiencing an array of emotions. The well developed plot has intrigue, surprises, suspense and a few revelations and twists.

Trying to escape a forced marriage to a monster orchestrated by her horrible abusive father Italian Mafia princess Caprice grabs her little sister Alessandra and runs. Ending up in Ireland she changes her name and meets Liam who offers her a job at his bar. Liam knows she is hiding something and when he discovers that she is Caprice DiGiovanni, he steps up to protect her by marrying her. When they meet Amber/Caprice has no idea the man she is attracted to is part of the Irish Mafia, I loved the intense chemistry between them as they slowly start to fall in love.

The character development was well done with Caprice being a strong, enduring woman with a very caring and tender heart even after the heartbreaking abuse she suffered at the hands of her father and his men. I loved how she was not scared to tell Liam what she thought, and in a twist Liam's father is a great man that takes Caprice's side when Liam gets hot under the collar and irrational.The entire book was extremely realistic and not everything turns out pleasant with lots of dark, gritty Mafia moments. I am looking forward to the next book to get a resolve to the unanswered questions but Liam & Caprice does get a well deserved HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Coastie Mom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I love the start to this series! This is the story of Caprice and Liam. Caprice is the daughter of a mob boss who is anything but a loving father. Her brother is downright mean and doesn’t care anything about her. He has mistreated her for as long as she can remember and has been given to numerous “associates” of her father’s. Because of all this, she is stronger and can take care of herself. Liam is part of the Mackenzie Irish Mafia. He is set to take over once his Father steps down. His life hasn’t been easy as he has had to live without his sisters in order to protect them. When Caprice realizes that her father is giving her to one of the cruelest men in the world, she decides to run away with her younger sister Alessandra. Her younger sister is a spoiled, naïve young girl who knows no better and thinks daddy hung the moon. She doesn’t understand just how cruel her father is or what Caprice has done to protect her from him. Caprice and her sister flee to Ireland so they can be under the protection of the Mackenzie family. When Liam and Caprice meet, the chemistry is there and Caprice will not give up until she gets her way!

This story has it all – secrets (lots and lots of secrets!), twists, drama, deception, danger, romance, suspense, torture, love, darkness and loyalty. Great story with great characters. I cannot wait to see what happens next with the Mackenzie family. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forbidden Love
Mackenzies, Book 1
By: Elizabeth Knox
Narrated by: Gabriel Thorne, Rose McMahon

Oh a little Liam goes a long way! Looking for a job, Caprice goes into Mackenzie's Bar and is sent away by Liam. But she does not give up. Coming back and showing him exactly how good she can be gets her hired, hoping she can hide from Sergei and her father. Things never go as planned though and Liam quickly finds out her identity and in keeping her safe marries her. That isn't the only reason though. He wants to take over for his father and having a wife will definitely help. But will it keep her safe? Will he get what he wants? Twists, turns, spunky women, betraying family members, greed, all the things we love in a mafia romance come to fruition in his one. Elizabeth Knox has created an Irish family to fear at times, but definitely fall in love with. Their loyalty and love is fierce, and I fell immediately! Fun, exciting and suspenseful, I am looking forward the next in this series.

Irish brogues are not easy, and Gabriel Thorne delivers one that will instill the fear of God in one breath and melt your heart in the next. He is phenomenal as Liam. Rose McMahon gives us the sisters, and she tunes into each one. Strong, feisty, bratty, loving, and fearful she brings it all. These two made this a thrilling listen with that hint of warmth and love. A great listen!

#mafiaromance #romanticsuspense #irishmafia #italianmafia #audioromance #elizabethknox #gabrielthorne #rosemcmahon #pinkflamingoproductions #pfp #theflock

[Christi Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Forbidden Love
Author: Elizabeth Knox
Format: Audio
Narrators: Rose McMahon, Gabriel Thorne
Genre: Dark romance, romantic suspense, mafia, fake marriage, marriage of convenience
Standalone: for the mort part. Definitely leaves storylines open for future books but doesn't feel incomplete due to having an epilogue
Part of a Series: The Mackenzies #1, Also part of the Leave Me Breathless world/Black Rose Collection
POV: Caprice, Liam
Steam Level: Slow burn to steamy also some mention of past dark sexual content
5/5

Forbidden Love is the first book I've read by Elizabeth Knox and the first book in the MacKenzies series. Once I started listening to the book I was hooked and intrigues. Caprice is on the run from her father and the man he's forcing her to marry. Taking her little sister so she doesn't have to endure the abuse that she has suffered they go to Ireland to seek protection from the Irish Mafia whom Caprice has heard is honorable and will keep them safe. When Caprice's past catches up to them, she's forced to marry Liam in order to be officially protected. I like how Caprice was honest about her experiences and how patient and protective Liam was. Forbidden Love is a great start to new series and I cannot wait to read more.

I received this audiobook for free from Pink Flamingo Productions and Audiobook Obsession. This is my honest and voluntary review.

[Lenna Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I know all these books intermingle somehow, I wanted to get into the mafia world besides all the biker series from Ms. Knox. I wasn't disappointed. This has stated ties into the Skull Renegade MC, somehow, even though I haven't read that series yet.

This is the Irish Mafia Family Mackenzies with lots of secrets that Liam doesn't like being kept in the dark and hates liars' whish there is plenty his father is keeping. Liam, 31, is the only son and heir of Desmond Mackenzie and his first wife, Liam has twin sisters in their 20s from his father's second marriage, his best friend and bodyguard is Luca McCarthy, he'll be playing a role two in this story and is one of the secrets of the family.
Caprice, 26, one of the daughters of Gabriele DiGiovanni, Italian, along with her younger sister Alessandra 17 almost 18 will be running away to hid due to what or who her father has sold her to. Caprice is what a sheltered mafia princess, she had endured hell due to her father selling her out to men for years, even has a daughter, with one of the rapists, whom has the baby hidden away and Caprice is on a mission to find her baby. She takes her sister and runs the safety of Ireland under the Mackenzies noses since her daddy and her new owner wont step foot on the island without the Irish knowing.

[HEATHER · Rating 4 out of 5]

Caprice finds sanctuary and love in Ireland!
by sewsummore

This was a dark mafia romance that left a lasting impression on my mind. Caprice was a daughter of a mafia Don, a man who cared only for wealth and power. He used his daughter Caprice, as a bargaining chip to promote his various illegal deals allowing her to be raped and used by uncaring violent men. When she became pregnant, he sent her away until after the birth of her daughter, then giving her baby away. Caprice was to suffer further indignities before her father arranged her marriage to a man as evil as himself. Caprice knew she would have to escape and take her younger sister with her, if they were both to survive. This was a difficult, emotional book to read. After escaping and moving to Ireland, it is only a week before they are found, but they gain sanctuary with a group of Irish Mafia and they both marry members of the organization to cement their claims. Liam was the heir to the Irish mafia and although the marriage was at first a political one, it soon became something much more personal. I found this book both entertaining and memorable, the characters had a lot of depth with a storyline that combined romance, danger, and mystery.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[lf · Rating 5 out of 5]

She has escaped one prison but will she end up in another to save herself

This is a story about Caprice and and Liam. Once again Elizabeth Knox has delivered a captivating story about a young woman who decides to take her future into her own hands. When Caprice's abusive Mafia father decides to sell her off a more abusive Russian Bratva man to leverage a deal she has had enough of his games and being his pawn. So she takes her sister Alessandra and they travel to Ireland, hoping that an ocean between them will be enough to never be found. In order to hide Caprice becomes Amber and ends up getting a job at a bar which Liam owns. When she walked in he knew there was something about her and he wanted her. But Liam is also a dangerous man as he is part of the Irish Mafia. When Liam discovers exactly who Amber his protective and possessive Alpha kicks in and he knows he will have to take care of her and Alessandra. The only way to do that is to marry her but there are threats coming that will test them all.

I received a copy of this book and am leaving my honest review. My opinions are all my own.

[Reading to Escape · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forbidden Love is a mafia romance with a little bit of a twist. Caprice is from an Italian mafia family, and her father has treated her horribly her whole life. When he decides to marry her off to a horrible man, she decides to take her sister and flee to a place where she thinks she will be safe because her father isn't welcome...Ireland. There, she meets Liam, who is part of the Irish mafia and in a strange turn of events he quickly claims her as his own in order to ensure her safety....but for how long?

There were a lot of moving parts to this story, and it was on the shorter side, so it was definitely a fast paced story, but engaging nonetheless. I feel like some parts of the story maybe needed to be developed a little further as they were left open or without closure by the end of the book. It does sound like there are more books in the series so maybe it was in part for that reason. This was my first book by this author and I did really enjoy it. I loved everything about Liam. He was the perfect combination of alpha, protective and sweet. I think he and Caprice had some great chemistry. I am looking forward to reading more in the series.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is book 1 in Knox's Mackenzies' series. A mafia romance read / listen with all the twists and turns that come with mafia reads. I love these characters - Caprice is an Italian mafia princess who's been treated as anything but by her family who flees to Ireland to hide under her fathers mafia enemy so to speak. Liam is the heir to the Ireland mafia throne and is captivated from the start by the beautiful Caprice. At first I thought that Liam was a bit soft but as the book goes on you see his protective streak come thru. Caprice will do what she needs to survive and in doing so ends up thriving. I'm a bit curious as to Caprice's sister and Liam's best friend and hope to get more about them soon. The dual narration was wonderfully done - love the voices, accents, tone - really, very well done. I also enjoyed the quotes found before each chapter and the dual point of view. All in all a great listen and I'm very much looking forward to more from Knox and this series!

This book was given to me for free at my request and I voluntarily provided this review.
*this review is based on the audio version of this read.

[Andra Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forbidden Love is the first book in the MacKenzies, an Irish Mafia series. It is a bit of a cross over with the Skulls Renegade MC series, which it seems we will see even more in future books in the series. The drama in this story is gripping, compelling, and follows what one would imagine a crime family might endure. It is also quite realistic the way that the romantic elements grow slowly. There's lust but, the characters are real with themselves about love. Liam and Caprice are very genuine in their feelings and that makes them all the more endearing. Though not all are lovable or even likeable, the other characters in the book are also engaging and keep the story interesting.

The book is a page-turner with vivid drama, a lovely romance, a little steaminess, lots of family secrets and strife, suspense, a bit of mayhem, and action. I read it in one sitting. I have already nabbed the other two books in the series. I highly recommend the Mafia Brotherhood which is the spin-off series. The first book in that series, Shattered Love is a good one!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Heather Dudley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forbidden Love is quite suspenseful and definitely a page turning mafia romance. While reading Forbidden Love, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time with the anticipation of wanting to know what was going to happen between the main characters next. Forbidden Love follows the story of Caprice and Liam. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know both Caprice and Liam as well as witnessing their forbidden love grow stronger as the story progressed. Their story is phenomenally written, well balanced with action/romance and beautifully executed by Elizabeth Knox. Elizabeth Knox continues to prove to me what a brilliant author she is with each book I’ve read by her. Each book that I have read, including this one, by Elizabeth Knox has been absolutely entertaining and an enjoyable read. I’m always looking forward to reading her work and seeing what she has come up with for a new romance story. Forbidden Love is definitely a recommended book for anyone who loves both forbidden and mafia romances that are meddled into one amazing story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc Review

Firstly, there is a note regarding the time period of where this read falls in line with.

Secondly, the soundtrack is quite eclectic 😋


Per usual, mature audience, setting of darker reads

Onto the review, Caprice is a daughter of Signore DiGiovanni. Italian Mafia. Also a tool to be used for his discrepancies. A tool to be lent out, used and abused. Violation not an issue for him, but at what cost to Caprice? What has she lost? Life is never fair.

This is the only teaser I can offer.

Life is full of unexpected situations. What Caprice suffered through was intolerable. She wasn’t seen as a daughter but a pawn to her Italian Mafia Father. To protect herself and her youngest sibling, they fled to a place of protection. To Ireland and the MacKenzie Clan. What came out of their journey was not what they expected. Enough spoiling…

There was more to Liam Mackenzie (Irish Mafia) and Caprice ahead. Through unexpected love, a respect for each other was formed. Caprice is a survivor, a strong woman.
Trigger points may appear, abuse and neglect were present.

Power always present
Secrets came forth

[Daisy Sauceda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well here is Liam and Caprice's story. So how I read this book after reading the second and third book is an anomaly. So here Liam is minding his business at work and then in walks a girl that stirs something in him. Whether this is good or bad is to be determined. We learn who the girl is and let me just say that she has not had it easy growing up. Her father is a ruthless man that will do anything without any regard. So you can imagine what Caprice has endured. So Liam knows that she is hiding something and well you guessed it she was. So what happens when trouble lands on his doorstep. We get a lot of secrets that are shared. Betrayals that are revealed. The chemistry that slowly unravels through out the book with Caprice and Liam. It seems as though these two meeting each other worked out because they definitely need each other to heal. Yes Liam has some darkness but Caprice sees him and is not afraid. He sees a woman he can soon to love and will protect. It is an amazing story to read.

[Toni Benton · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a second to get into this story. In all honesty, it was because I needed to get used to the narrator’s voice. Rose McMahon has a very sweet & innocent, good girl type of voice…so associating her as a mafia boss’s daughter took me a minute. Especially when she had moments of showing her backbone, it was still almost too sweet 🤣. Gabriel Thorne did well as the male narrator & actually seemed to be a good companion voice for Rose.
The book’s storyline was intriguing. Caprice is trying to get her & her sister out of a bad situation with her mafia family. She escapes to Ireland with the hopes of getting the protection of the Irish mafia family. Liam, being son to the Irish mafia boss, doesn’t take long to know her true identity. I did like how the Irish family had decent morals and took care of those in need. I liked the way that Liam & Caprice’s evolved and in the end got their HEA. The long time family secrets revealed threw me for a loop at first, but again, was just evidence of them taking care of their own.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a while since I listened to or read any Elizabeth Knox books, and Forbidden Love was simply fantastic; it's a wonderfully written and captivating mafia romance. There was never a dull moment in this book; once I started, I couldn't stop listening, needing to know what happens next. Caprice and Liam were absolutely amazing and exceptionally appealing; their behaviour, reactions, and emotional responses were totally genuine. The chemistry was off-the-charts, passionate and electrifying. The storyline was fast-paced, engaging, suspenseful, action-packed, steamy, somewhat dark, with excellent twists and turns. I'm definitely looking forward to the next book in the Mackenzies series, Corrupted Love.

The audiobook is very well narrated. Gabriel Thorne and Rose McMahon did a flawless job with the characters. They sounded believable in their roles and literally brought the story to life. Forbidden Love is a brilliant start to the Mackenzies, a new and exciting mafia romance series. It was so worth the listen and one I'm highly recommending.

#TheFlock, #PinkFlamingo