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Underworld Kings #8
Marriage & Malice
From USA Today best-selling author Trisha Wolfe comes a fierce and seductively thrilling Dark Mafia Romance stand-alone as part of the Underworld Kings series.
Rapture, desire, need - the yearning for our passions is the reason we breathe. I've devoted my life to my pursuit of ballet, it’s my escape from the dark underworld I was born into. As a Carpella and the daughter of a made man, I've accepted certain traditions. Yet, having just been promoted to principal within a prestigious dance company, I'm so close to escaping that world…
Until a devil with blood on his hands and an Irish curse inked into his skin tears into my world, now passion holds a whole new sinister meaning. With ruination in his steel-blue eyes and me in his crosshairs, Lucian Cross traps me in his gilded cage and uses me to deliver his retribution.
Forced to sign a marriage contract, my father traded my life to save his own. Now I'm bound to Lucian, owned by a monster who swore an oath of pain and suffering to my family.
Lucian's passion is revenge.
And because my family destroyed what he loved, he vowed to destroy what I love. Every night he forces me to dance until my breaking point. He wants to condition me to loathe the very thing that once gave me hope.
I can't let him break me, but the closer we get to the wedding date, the more entangled I become in his dangerous, tempting world, and I begin to lose myself in him.
His vow is my pain.
My vow is not to fall for the enemy.
But how can I dance with the devil himself and not be singed by his fire?
Rapture, desire, need - the yearning for our passions is the reason we breathe. I've devoted my life to my pursuit of ballet, it’s my escape from the dark underworld I was born into. As a Carpella and the daughter of a made man, I've accepted certain traditions. Yet, having just been promoted to principal within a prestigious dance company, I'm so close to escaping that world…
Until a devil with blood on his hands and an Irish curse inked into his skin tears into my world, now passion holds a whole new sinister meaning. With ruination in his steel-blue eyes and me in his crosshairs, Lucian Cross traps me in his gilded cage and uses me to deliver his retribution.
Forced to sign a marriage contract, my father traded my life to save his own. Now I'm bound to Lucian, owned by a monster who swore an oath of pain and suffering to my family.
Lucian's passion is revenge.
And because my family destroyed what he loved, he vowed to destroy what I love. Every night he forces me to dance until my breaking point. He wants to condition me to loathe the very thing that once gave me hope.
I can't let him break me, but the closer we get to the wedding date, the more entangled I become in his dangerous, tempting world, and I begin to lose myself in him.
His vow is my pain.
My vow is not to fall for the enemy.
But how can I dance with the devil himself and not be singed by his fire?
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 27, 2021
382 people are currently reading
2865 people want to read
About the author
Trisha Wolfe
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USA Today bestselling romantic thriller author. From an early age, Trisha Wolfe dreamed up fictional worlds and characters and was accused of talking to herself. Today, she lives in South Carolina with her family and writes full time, using her fictional worlds as an excuse to continue talking to herself.
http://amazon.com/author/trishawolfe
Visit My Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/trishawolfea...
Visit My Facebook Readers Group: The Lair
https://www.facebook.com/groups/14186...
Visit My Website
http://TrishaWolfe.com
Sign Up For My VIP List
http://bit.ly/36HEPtP
USA Today bestselling romantic thriller author. From an early age, Trisha Wolfe dreamed up fictional worlds and characters and was accused of talking to herself. Today, she lives in South Carolina with her family and writes full time, using her fictional worlds as an excuse to continue talking to herself.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 329 reviews
October 19, 2021
4 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tropes:
🥀enemies to lovers
🥀forced marriage
🥀mafia romance
🥀family rivalry
🥀Virgin heroine
Where do I sign the petition for Trisha to keep on writing mafia romance novels in the future and to make the heroes as ruthless and psychotic as Grayson Sullivan? 🥵😭
A mafia romance written by Trisha Wolfe wasn’t something I knew I needed but I am SO grateful that she has decided to foray into this territory, and I’m even more grateful to have snagged an ARC of her first mafia romance book. 🥵
Violet Carpella, a ballerina, was born into a mafia family, but despite her dark and malicious origins she is soft, tender and naive. Her desire to keep away from the gnarly side of her world is squished when she is kidnapped by two strangers after her recital, and hurled at the feet of a man that oozes hostility, power and strength. The lies and deception of her family are uncovered when she is forced to witness her own father trade her life to save his own by agreeing to give Violet’s hand in marriage to Lucian Cross; a man seething with the need to destroy her and everything she loves.
The brutal murder of Lucian Cross’s family at the hands of the Carpella’s turned him from a wronged boy into a man brimming with hatred for the murderers of his bloodline. His resentment and hatred for the Carpella family runs deep and this hatred extends to poor Violet whose only fault was that she was born… in the wrong family, I mean. 😃
I have read so many mafia romance books with the forced/arranged marriage trope, that at this point I read it less for the plot line, and more for the romance between the MCs.
I was expecting this book to be different, not so much different in terms of the plot, but I thought the hero would put other mafia romance heroes to shame with his unbridled hatred and his insatiable need for revenge, in short I was sure that the hero in this book would definitely belong to the category of men that would make normal readers squirm in discomfort and burn with indignation, BUT who’d make my heart gallop with impish glee because of how callous, psychotic, unforgivingly brutal, ruthless and unapologetically cruel he was.
Now, Lucian did make my heart gallop in glee in the first few chapters but that glee soon turned into sombre disappointment when he developed reverse Stockholm syndrome — Lima syndrome (you know where the bad, bad captor goes all soft on his captive) I wasn’t expecting such untowardly behavior from a hero written by Ms. Wolfe soo early in the book. He promised pain but he never DELIVERED! And it pained ME! 😩
I wanted Lucian to hold onto his resentment and wrath a bit longer because of how invested he had been in his revenge. I didn’t like how easily he succumbed to his tumultuous feelings for his enemy’s daughter.
Ms. Wolfe, please, when (not if 👹) you write your next mafia romance novel make the hero dark, DARK. Grayson Sullivan kind of dark. P l e a s e.
Some of my favorite Lucian moments 👿
————————————————————
Trisha Wolfe? Writing a dark mafia romance? With a forced marriage trope? I’m overflowing with E X C I T E M E N T.
Tropes:
🥀enemies to lovers
🥀forced marriage
🥀mafia romance
🥀family rivalry
🥀Virgin heroine
Where do I sign the petition for Trisha to keep on writing mafia romance novels in the future and to make the heroes as ruthless and psychotic as Grayson Sullivan? 🥵😭
A mafia romance written by Trisha Wolfe wasn’t something I knew I needed but I am SO grateful that she has decided to foray into this territory, and I’m even more grateful to have snagged an ARC of her first mafia romance book. 🥵
The scent of lavender strangles the air. Not the flower but the color. The bitter purple of a bruise. That mix of rich-red and spidery blue bleeding into the seams, like a blood clot beneath the skin. That’s the color of my life. And it’s the shade of the girl kneeling before me, her ashen face ghostly pale. Violet Carpella.
Violet Carpella, a ballerina, was born into a mafia family, but despite her dark and malicious origins she is soft, tender and naive. Her desire to keep away from the gnarly side of her world is squished when she is kidnapped by two strangers after her recital, and hurled at the feet of a man that oozes hostility, power and strength. The lies and deception of her family are uncovered when she is forced to witness her own father trade her life to save his own by agreeing to give Violet’s hand in marriage to Lucian Cross; a man seething with the need to destroy her and everything she loves.
And before me is a beautiful demon, one with dangerous script inked on his hands and hellfire in his penetrating eyes. A ravenous appetite for cruelty burns beneath the depths—and he’s staring down at me like I’m the thing to sate that hunger.
The brutal murder of Lucian Cross’s family at the hands of the Carpella’s turned him from a wronged boy into a man brimming with hatred for the murderers of his bloodline. His resentment and hatred for the Carpella family runs deep and this hatred extends to poor Violet whose only fault was that she was born… in the wrong family, I mean. 😃
Hate is a gnarled limb branched from my family tree, and the Carpellas poisoned that tree’s soil.
I have read so many mafia romance books with the forced/arranged marriage trope, that at this point I read it less for the plot line, and more for the romance between the MCs.
I was expecting this book to be different, not so much different in terms of the plot, but I thought the hero would put other mafia romance heroes to shame with his unbridled hatred and his insatiable need for revenge, in short I was sure that the hero in this book would definitely belong to the category of men that would make normal readers squirm in discomfort and burn with indignation, BUT who’d make my heart gallop with impish glee because of how callous, psychotic, unforgivingly brutal, ruthless and unapologetically cruel he was.
Now, Lucian did make my heart gallop in glee in the first few chapters but that glee soon turned into sombre disappointment when he developed reverse Stockholm syndrome — Lima syndrome (you know where the bad, bad captor goes all soft on his captive) I wasn’t expecting such untowardly behavior from a hero written by Ms. Wolfe soo early in the book. He promised pain but he never DELIVERED! And it pained ME! 😩
”There’s not a molecule in my body that doesn’t ache to extinguish her. The softer she is, the more tempting the desire to shred her apart.”
I wanted Lucian to hold onto his resentment and wrath a bit longer because of how invested he had been in his revenge. I didn’t like how easily he succumbed to his tumultuous feelings for his enemy’s daughter.
He steps into the sliver of moonlight, revealing hardened features. “You belong to me. You are mine. That ring on your finger binds you to me, and so help me God, Violet, if you even look at another man, I will disembowel him with my knife while you watch.”
Ms. Wolfe, please, when (not if 👹) you write your next mafia romance novel make the hero dark, DARK. Grayson Sullivan kind of dark. P l e a s e.
Some of my favorite Lucian moments 👿
”Consummating the marriage is the plan, yes. Fucking you with every vile bit of hatred twisting my bones, that’s just a reward.”
With a heavy groan, he presses his chest to my back and drags his hard cock up the seam of my ass, driving the needy ache deeper. “If you let me inside you, I’ll destroy you, and I’ll revel in it.” Oh, god.
Keeping one hand cemented to the brick, I drag my other over my mouth to cover my smile. “No, little girl. If I made you my lover, your body would have no doubts.”
————————————————————
Trisha Wolfe? Writing a dark mafia romance? With a forced marriage trope? I’m overflowing with E X C I T E M E N T.
October 26, 2021
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3.5 STARS
Over images not working on here, messaged them weeks ago and still not fixed!!
Love the cover
Love the synopsis
Love the author..
Mafia romances are my jam so when I found out that this author was dipping her toes into this genre I needed this book in my life. I love the dark and grit they feed my dark little heart, and was hoping this would satisfy that hunger, I needed and craved and hoped that our hero would reign down his wrath, that's where I had high expectations especially with delving into the forced/arranged marriage trope.
But I was left a wee bit deflated as it didn't really delve into the dark side of mafia life which I was hoping for, I needed the gore, the heartbreak, the guns blazing which this genre generally gives me instead it gave me a soft vanilla romance with slight grey undertones. I still read it, I still enjoyed it. But I just wanted more.
3.5 STARS
Over images not working on here, messaged them weeks ago and still not fixed!!
Love the cover
Love the synopsis
Love the author..
Mafia romances are my jam so when I found out that this author was dipping her toes into this genre I needed this book in my life. I love the dark and grit they feed my dark little heart, and was hoping this would satisfy that hunger, I needed and craved and hoped that our hero would reign down his wrath, that's where I had high expectations especially with delving into the forced/arranged marriage trope.
But I was left a wee bit deflated as it didn't really delve into the dark side of mafia life which I was hoping for, I needed the gore, the heartbreak, the guns blazing which this genre generally gives me instead it gave me a soft vanilla romance with slight grey undertones. I still read it, I still enjoyed it. But I just wanted more.
December 11, 2021
4 🖤🖤💖❤️🌟s❣️❣️❗️❗️
A suspenseful slow burn mafia romance read.
I enjoy it despite the lack of an epilogue.
A suspenseful slow burn mafia romance read.
I enjoy it despite the lack of an epilogue.
November 16, 2021
2.25 Stars
Eh. This was a VERY close dnf. No chemistry between the MCs, and it was super slow. Not slow burn because there was hardly any tension, it was just boring, and bland. Nothing happened until about 70%, and then the ending and when they get together was just anticlimactic. It was also super repetitive. Hero couldn't make up his mind and kept using the same excuses and kept thinking the same thoughts and it had the same descriptions, and I was just so over it. Also, he's supposed to be some big baddie, and he kept calling the heroine "little girl" but he's only like 22 so it's hard to take him seriously. The blurb promised a whole different book than what I got unfortunately.
Safety: Safe
No ow/om drama
No cheating
Virgin h
No details of hero's past but he isn't a manh*e
Eh. This was a VERY close dnf. No chemistry between the MCs, and it was super slow. Not slow burn because there was hardly any tension, it was just boring, and bland. Nothing happened until about 70%, and then the ending and when they get together was just anticlimactic. It was also super repetitive. Hero couldn't make up his mind and kept using the same excuses and kept thinking the same thoughts and it had the same descriptions, and I was just so over it. Also, he's supposed to be some big baddie, and he kept calling the heroine "little girl" but he's only like 22 so it's hard to take him seriously. The blurb promised a whole different book than what I got unfortunately.
Safety: Safe
No ow/om drama
No cheating
Virgin h
No details of hero's past but he isn't a manh*e
December 20, 2021
**3.8/5 stars**
The beginning of this book was a little bit hard for me to get into. Being an Enemies to Lovers story, it was clear that Lucian absolutely despises the Carpellas, Violet's family, and he only seeks revenge. The tricky part with that sort of plot is to make the enemies fall in love with each other and I think, overall, that Trisha Wolfe did a good job at representing this trope. My only issue was the reasoning behind Lucian's motives to hurt Violet. I can understand the disdain, but I felt his animosity towards HER specifically a little bit weird. If later on, I understood that he was so disdainful not only towards her but towards himself for finding her attractive, I think it could have been slightly more obvious and handled in a better way.
I didn't feel the chemistry between them until later into the book (around 70%). It was implied that they had desires for each other, but it was also very unclear as to where those feelings came from. Before that %mark, they didn't really shared moments that could blur the lines between hate and love. And I think that's where the execution of the trope took a little bit of a fall for me. The pushing was absolutely there, but the pulling was too weak for me to believe there was passion between them (first half).
***
Lucian was meant to be a complex character, an avenger for his family name. He was meant to be a dangerous criminal, a sort of hitman, a madman (the nickname people gave him). As much as I wanted to believe his character to be ruthless, his young age kind of shattered the image Trisha was trying to give to him. I feel like, and in my humble opinion, if Lucian had been in his late 20s to early 30s, it would have given him more credibility. And I don't say that only because I like older men, let's be clear on that lmao. The fact that he was only around 22-23 years old just took away the image of him that was meant be intimidating. One of the positive things about him was that he wasn't a manwh*re. He seemed to have a fairly normal background when it came to women, his sole focus was on getting revenge.
As for Violet, she is 19 years old. I liked her at times, and I didn't care for her other times. I liked that she was strong and wasn't so afraid of challenging Lucian. But then she was also a little bit immature and whiny, especially at the beginning. Girl is held captive, forced into an arranged marriage, and all she thinks about is how she can't dance. I mean, priorities? But seriously, I admired the passion she had for dancing, and it created a nice little ''Phantom of Opera'' vibe between Violet and Lucian, where he would want her to dance but only for him.
Like I said, the chemistry only came around the 70% mark. And if it was a very very slow burn, I thought that once they let the passion out, the steam was pretty hot. So I really appreciated the second half of the book better. The beginning was lacking in term of chemistry and intimidation. It didn't bring the sort of fear a dark book usually brings. It was there, but very minimal. I didn't fear Lucian. I wasn't scared for Violet.
✔️HFN somewhat HEA
✔️Standalone
✔️Enemies to Lovers
✔️Dangerous H
✔️No cheating
✔️No OW/OM
✔️Push and pull
🔥Steam level: 3/5
⚡Dubcon
⚡Trigger warning
Overall though! I kind of liked this book. Enemies to lovers is a bit of a guilty pleasure, because I love tormented H who don't want to fall in love but can't resist. I swear, I'm not a sadist. If there is passion, I'm all for it. If I wasn't sure at the start, the second half of the book hooked me.
The beginning of this book was a little bit hard for me to get into. Being an Enemies to Lovers story, it was clear that Lucian absolutely despises the Carpellas, Violet's family, and he only seeks revenge. The tricky part with that sort of plot is to make the enemies fall in love with each other and I think, overall, that Trisha Wolfe did a good job at representing this trope. My only issue was the reasoning behind Lucian's motives to hurt Violet. I can understand the disdain, but I felt his animosity towards HER specifically a little bit weird. If later on, I understood that he was so disdainful not only towards her but towards himself for finding her attractive, I think it could have been slightly more obvious and handled in a better way.
I didn't feel the chemistry between them until later into the book (around 70%). It was implied that they had desires for each other, but it was also very unclear as to where those feelings came from. Before that %mark, they didn't really shared moments that could blur the lines between hate and love. And I think that's where the execution of the trope took a little bit of a fall for me. The pushing was absolutely there, but the pulling was too weak for me to believe there was passion between them (first half).
***
Lucian was meant to be a complex character, an avenger for his family name. He was meant to be a dangerous criminal, a sort of hitman, a madman (the nickname people gave him). As much as I wanted to believe his character to be ruthless, his young age kind of shattered the image Trisha was trying to give to him. I feel like, and in my humble opinion, if Lucian had been in his late 20s to early 30s, it would have given him more credibility. And I don't say that only because I like older men, let's be clear on that lmao. The fact that he was only around 22-23 years old just took away the image of him that was meant be intimidating. One of the positive things about him was that he wasn't a manwh*re. He seemed to have a fairly normal background when it came to women, his sole focus was on getting revenge.
“I won’t take your life, cailín beag, and I won’t allow anyone else to do so. You have my word.”-Lucian>
As for Violet, she is 19 years old. I liked her at times, and I didn't care for her other times. I liked that she was strong and wasn't so afraid of challenging Lucian. But then she was also a little bit immature and whiny, especially at the beginning. Girl is held captive, forced into an arranged marriage, and all she thinks about is how she can't dance. I mean, priorities? But seriously, I admired the passion she had for dancing, and it created a nice little ''Phantom of Opera'' vibe between Violet and Lucian, where he would want her to dance but only for him.
“I finally allow myself to enjoy the here and now without fear of losing what I love. Because in my other world, you don’t reveal what you love. It’s a weakness others will use against you.”-Violet
Like I said, the chemistry only came around the 70% mark. And if it was a very very slow burn, I thought that once they let the passion out, the steam was pretty hot. So I really appreciated the second half of the book better. The beginning was lacking in term of chemistry and intimidation. It didn't bring the sort of fear a dark book usually brings. It was there, but very minimal. I didn't fear Lucian. I wasn't scared for Violet.
“You can pray for peace. Or you can fucking make sure no one disturbs it.”-Lucian
✔️HFN somewhat HEA
✔️Standalone
✔️Enemies to Lovers
✔️Dangerous H
✔️No cheating
✔️No OW/OM
✔️Push and pull
🔥Steam level: 3/5
⚡Dubcon
⚡Trigger warning
Overall though! I kind of liked this book. Enemies to lovers is a bit of a guilty pleasure, because I love tormented H who don't want to fall in love but can't resist. I swear, I'm not a sadist. If there is passion, I'm all for it. If I wasn't sure at the start, the second half of the book hooked me.
November 10, 2021
"I’m about to destroy that pussy.” he said throughout the book but at the end, he was soo vanilla.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 11, 2023
"You’re so fucking beautiful, cailín beag, you destroy me.”❤️
I really liked the story and characters. Violet and Lucian were enemies. Violet's family murdered his, and he was in a revenge path.
Tropes: enemies to lovers, age gap, ballerina-mafia romance, and forced marriage.
Lucian from the Irish syndicate kidnaps Violet, the daughter from the Italian la familiga, who destroyed his family. He forces a marriage contract in order to extract his vengeance, but unbeknownst to him, he falls hard for the daughter of his enemies.
What was great here is that in the beginning, you felt his true hate for her, and as he slowly sees how different she is from her family, he begins to feel human again.
"I will protect you. I will kill for you. I will burn the world to ash to keep you mine, cailín beag"
Rating 4.3 stars 🌟
I really liked the story and characters. Violet and Lucian were enemies. Violet's family murdered his, and he was in a revenge path.
Tropes: enemies to lovers, age gap, ballerina-mafia romance, and forced marriage.
Lucian from the Irish syndicate kidnaps Violet, the daughter from the Italian la familiga, who destroyed his family. He forces a marriage contract in order to extract his vengeance, but unbeknownst to him, he falls hard for the daughter of his enemies.
What was great here is that in the beginning, you felt his true hate for her, and as he slowly sees how different she is from her family, he begins to feel human again.
"I will protect you. I will kill for you. I will burn the world to ash to keep you mine, cailín beag"
Rating 4.3 stars 🌟
October 27, 2021
another day another highly anticipated read that disappointed me 😩
October 15, 2021
*Thank you to the Author for an ARC of this title.*
On to another entry to the Underworld Kings, and I was happy to revisit an author I haven't read in a little while: Trisha Wolf. I was a big fan of a few of her books back when I read them, so I was very intrigued to give her Dark Mafia Romance a try.
This book starts off with a ballerina dancing her heart out and living her dream. Only to have a cruel awakening when she is kidnapped and forced to agree to an arranged marriage with her families bitter enemy, Lucian Cross. He leaves her no choice. No choice to marry him, no chance to continue her dreams, and no place to run from him.
Lucian has a deep and abiding hatred for all things Carpella, and he has no desire to even look at Violet except to use her for revenge and to bring the Carpellas to their knees. But he might be biting off more than he can chew by bringing this siren into his midst. He shouldn't be craving her presence or longing to she her lithe movements. She needs to stay in her place, firmly under his boot heel.
It’s a battle of wills.
What I liked: This book got off to a great start, I was hooked right away. I felt for Violet as her dreams are ripped from her. I felt Lucian's determination to get his vengeance. And the chemistry that draws them together was thick and pulled tight the whole way through. They can't stay away from each other but they loathe being in the same room…or do they?
What I didn't like: this is mostly a personal preference, I felt like the physical aspects of their relationship were drawn out too long. Again, personal taste, I don't think that will bother everyone. Also, I feel like it ended rather abruptly and I really wish this wasn't a standalone or that it had been a few chapters more, I just felt like things got cut off too soon. But short and sweet isn't always a bad thing.
Overall, I had a great time with this story. It was dark and twisty and steamy in some wonderful ways.
4/5 stars
On to another entry to the Underworld Kings, and I was happy to revisit an author I haven't read in a little while: Trisha Wolf. I was a big fan of a few of her books back when I read them, so I was very intrigued to give her Dark Mafia Romance a try.
This book starts off with a ballerina dancing her heart out and living her dream. Only to have a cruel awakening when she is kidnapped and forced to agree to an arranged marriage with her families bitter enemy, Lucian Cross. He leaves her no choice. No choice to marry him, no chance to continue her dreams, and no place to run from him.
Lucian has a deep and abiding hatred for all things Carpella, and he has no desire to even look at Violet except to use her for revenge and to bring the Carpellas to their knees. But he might be biting off more than he can chew by bringing this siren into his midst. He shouldn't be craving her presence or longing to she her lithe movements. She needs to stay in her place, firmly under his boot heel.
It’s a battle of wills.
What I liked: This book got off to a great start, I was hooked right away. I felt for Violet as her dreams are ripped from her. I felt Lucian's determination to get his vengeance. And the chemistry that draws them together was thick and pulled tight the whole way through. They can't stay away from each other but they loathe being in the same room…or do they?
What I didn't like: this is mostly a personal preference, I felt like the physical aspects of their relationship were drawn out too long. Again, personal taste, I don't think that will bother everyone. Also, I feel like it ended rather abruptly and I really wish this wasn't a standalone or that it had been a few chapters more, I just felt like things got cut off too soon. But short and sweet isn't always a bad thing.
Overall, I had a great time with this story. It was dark and twisty and steamy in some wonderful ways.
4/5 stars
Read
December 16, 2021dnf at 61%. I really tried with this one but it just wasn't happening! Not badly written, just really didn't work out for me!
June 26, 2025
This story follows Violet, a 19-year-old attending a prestigious ballet school. Despite her focus on dance, Violet has family ties to the underworld, and her father and uncle have kept her in the dark—until now. When the family’s rivals target her due to past connections, Violet finds herself in their crosshairs. But can she resist the rival mafia’s monstrous enforcer?
The book was packed with tension and steam. Violet’s fiery personality constantly challenges Lucien at every turn, and I loved it. The anger and chemistry between them was intense. While Violet remains in the dark about her family’s secrets, Lucien struggles to resist her but ultimately falls hard. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline and the electrifying tension between these characters. Highly recommend the audiobook as its duet and the Irish accent is brilliant.
If you love:
🔹Dark Romance
🔹Mafia
🔹Forced Marriage
🔹Enemies To Lovers
🔹Beauty and The Beast Vibes
🔹Fantastic Tension
Genre/Type: Dark Adult Romance 18+
APK: Audiobook ALC
Audiobook Length: 8hrs 8mins
Narrators: James Joseph and Meg Sylvan - Duet
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5
Series or Stand Alone: Book One In The Broken Heirs Series
Tropes or Themes: Mafia (Irish, Italian), Forced Marriage, Enemies To Lovers, Slow Burn, Beauty and The Beast Vibes, Obsessive MMC, Strong FMC, Tension, Kidnapping, Dances For Him, Cursing, Violence, Gun Violence, Blood, Injury Sexual Content, Virgin, Dirty Talk, Shower Scene and Bath Scene
Mentions: Death Of Parent, Cancer and Rape
Check Triggers ⚠️ 💫
All Round Romance Reader
Sienasummerrreads 💕📚
TikTok | Instagram | Goodreads | StoryGraph | Everand | Amazon | Audible Reviews 💫
The book was packed with tension and steam. Violet’s fiery personality constantly challenges Lucien at every turn, and I loved it. The anger and chemistry between them was intense. While Violet remains in the dark about her family’s secrets, Lucien struggles to resist her but ultimately falls hard. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline and the electrifying tension between these characters. Highly recommend the audiobook as its duet and the Irish accent is brilliant.
If you love:
🔹Dark Romance
🔹Mafia
🔹Forced Marriage
🔹Enemies To Lovers
🔹Beauty and The Beast Vibes
🔹Fantastic Tension
Genre/Type: Dark Adult Romance 18+
APK: Audiobook ALC
Audiobook Length: 8hrs 8mins
Narrators: James Joseph and Meg Sylvan - Duet
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5
Series or Stand Alone: Book One In The Broken Heirs Series
Tropes or Themes: Mafia (Irish, Italian), Forced Marriage, Enemies To Lovers, Slow Burn, Beauty and The Beast Vibes, Obsessive MMC, Strong FMC, Tension, Kidnapping, Dances For Him, Cursing, Violence, Gun Violence, Blood, Injury Sexual Content, Virgin, Dirty Talk, Shower Scene and Bath Scene
Mentions: Death Of Parent, Cancer and Rape
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October 31, 2021
I liked the story, i loved how good the build up is BUT at some point when around 60% there was still that push and pull mostly by him i started to be really annoyed by it , i wished they where already kissing or something lol.
The ending was rushed :(
I NEEDED and epilogue!!
Other than that i hope this author will write other mafia books, this was good :)
The ending was rushed :(
I NEEDED and epilogue!!
Other than that i hope this author will write other mafia books, this was good :)
December 30, 2021
This was my intro to Trisha Wolfe's world and I don't want to leave! AFREAKINMAZING!
review to follow
review to follow
October 26, 2021
4.5 Revenge Backfires Stars
* * * *1/2 Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
Oh, how I love a Mafia/Crime Family story. I first had my taste with The Godfather. I would take the paperback to work and when no one was looking, I would whip it out and read. This book was groundbreaking and set the standard.
I wasn't aware of the series Underworld Kings. I was recently aware of the talented Trisha Wolfe, though. When I had the opportunity to read this, I dove right in.
Well, let me say, this dark romance doesn't play games. It is a frank, graphic story of a man who seeks revenge for the deaths of his entire family. Our gal is the daughter and she becomes the pawn in the revenge.
I was captivated from the first page, didn't want to stop, read some of it with my fingers sort of covering my eyes, but totally into what I was reading. It became an unlikely love story and reinforced my delight with Trisha Wolfe.
Marriage & Malice (Underworld Kings)
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * *1/2 Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
Oh, how I love a Mafia/Crime Family story. I first had my taste with The Godfather. I would take the paperback to work and when no one was looking, I would whip it out and read. This book was groundbreaking and set the standard.
I wasn't aware of the series Underworld Kings. I was recently aware of the talented Trisha Wolfe, though. When I had the opportunity to read this, I dove right in.
Well, let me say, this dark romance doesn't play games. It is a frank, graphic story of a man who seeks revenge for the deaths of his entire family. Our gal is the daughter and she becomes the pawn in the revenge.
I was captivated from the first page, didn't want to stop, read some of it with my fingers sort of covering my eyes, but totally into what I was reading. It became an unlikely love story and reinforced my delight with Trisha Wolfe.
Marriage & Malice (Underworld Kings)https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
October 27, 2021
5 DARK DELICIOUS STARS!! Just want I wanted....something dark and delicious and Trisha Wolfe delivered. Violet and Lucian gave it all to us in their story all the way through. What a great addition to the Underworld Kings.
October 27, 2021
Mafia lovers, prep those one click fingers, you need some Marriage & Malice in your life. More to the point, you need Lucian Cross in your hands. He is driven, brutal, and doesn't hold back when unleashing the darkness within. As he attempts to merge marriage and malice into one, (See what I did there?), the tension builds to a razor thin thread and when it breaks things get bloody and red hot! Seriously, this is some of the best sexual tension I've read in a long-long time.
I'm absolutely in awe of what this author is capable of. Every book Trisha Wolfe gives us something unexpected and she does it so beautifully. In Marriage & Malice, Wolfe has created a story that falls directly within the expectations of the mafia-romance genre but gave it her own unique twist, that elevates it beyond those expectations. Bravo!!!
I'm absolutely in awe of what this author is capable of. Every book Trisha Wolfe gives us something unexpected and she does it so beautifully. In Marriage & Malice, Wolfe has created a story that falls directly within the expectations of the mafia-romance genre but gave it her own unique twist, that elevates it beyond those expectations. Bravo!!!
time-pass-not-tbr
October 20, 2021The cover is giving such dark drama/romance type vibes. I'm in love with it.
Read
December 6, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Incestuous attempted rape (cousin)
Incestuous attempted rape (cousin)
February 12, 2025
3⭐️
I liked it, but I didn’t love it—I guess I was expecting more. I also thought this was a duology, so that threw me off.
The pacing wasn’t great; they left everything for the very end, which made the beginning feel way too slow.
I liked it, but I didn’t love it—I guess I was expecting more. I also thought this was a duology, so that threw me off.
The pacing wasn’t great; they left everything for the very end, which made the beginning feel way too slow.
March 14, 2022
Violet Carpella, 19, ballet dancer and only remaining child to Salvatore Carpella, consigliere of the Carpella crime syndicate. On the night of her big sole performance Violet is abducted and brought to the home of Lucian Cross.
Lucian Cross, 22, is collecting a debt from the Carpella family and is blackmailing Salvatore to agree and advocate for a marriage alliance between La Famiglia and the Irish Cross Syndicate.
Lucian is a remorseless, cruel man who has nurtured his anger and thirst for revenge for five years and he is ready to wipe out all of the Carpella's.
Sadly, he sees Violet as his way into the Carpella family, but Lucian did not factor in the beautiful resilient strength she has. And he absolutely did not factor in how he would feel for her.
In the end, she is his to protect, his reason for fucking breathing.
The story is told in dual POV, alternating between Violet and Lucian. The beginning and end is wel paced, with the middle lacking a bit.
But overall it is a great addition to The Underworld Kings Series.
Books in the series
Part of a multi-author series of standalone books filled with mafia families waging war, danger and violence, arranged and forced marriages, angst, love, and everything
in-between, The Underworld Kings Series
May 25, 2022
3 🌟
Sitting and reading all of Trisha's book, whilst Igo crazy and lose my sanity wait for her to press publish on lovely bad things.
"She’s more than a distraction; she’s the essence of my ruin."
Marriage and Malice has marriage of convenience trope. And I'm a living, breathing whore for this trope.
Marriage of convenience ⥸⥸⥸ any other trope. So when I finally got the chance to read this book I thought that, favourite author+favourite trope=bingo an unforgettable book.
While no doubt it is a good book with well developed chemistry between the characters, the writing absolutely magnificent...(yes there's a but coming in there) but...the thing is it didn't serve what I was expecting from it. It was okay-ish. I felt as though there was no plot at all...don't know why. The "hurting you because your family hurt mine" family rivalry plot seemed very tame and simple compared to her other book plots and plot twists.
“I hate myself for wanting you.”
Me the entire time waiting for Lucian and Violet tohate-fuck the shit out of each other finally kiss 💫
~🥀"Tá grá agam duit.”🥀~
➳Virgin heroine
➳Slow burn
➳Marriage of convenience
➳Enemies to lovers
➳Forbidden (Family Rivalry)
Sitting and reading all of Trisha's book, whilst I
"She’s more than a distraction; she’s the essence of my ruin."
Marriage and Malice has marriage of convenience trope. And I'm a living, breathing whore for this trope.
Marriage of convenience ⥸⥸⥸ any other trope. So when I finally got the chance to read this book I thought that, favourite author+favourite trope=bingo an unforgettable book.
While no doubt it is a good book with well developed chemistry between the characters, the writing absolutely magnificent...(yes there's a but coming in there) but...the thing is it didn't serve what I was expecting from it. It was okay-ish. I felt as though there was no plot at all...don't know why. The "hurting you because your family hurt mine" family rivalry plot seemed very tame and simple compared to her other book plots and plot twists.
“I hate myself for wanting you.”
Me the entire time waiting for Lucian and Violet to
~🥀"Tá grá agam duit.”🥀~
➳Virgin heroine
➳Slow burn
➳Marriage of convenience
➳Enemies to lovers
➳Forbidden (Family Rivalry)
November 3, 2021
I don’t know how I’m supposed to live without more Violet and Lucian. What do you mean this is a standalone. I’m crying!
Trisha Wolfe never disappoints! She really knows how to craft the perfect psycho book boyfriend.
If you love mafia romances, you’ll love this book. If you love strong FMCs, you’ll love this book. If you love psycho men with “I’ll burn the work for you” vibes, you’ll love this book!
100% recommend
Trisha Wolfe never disappoints! She really knows how to craft the perfect psycho book boyfriend.
If you love mafia romances, you’ll love this book. If you love strong FMCs, you’ll love this book. If you love psycho men with “I’ll burn the work for you” vibes, you’ll love this book!
100% recommend
October 26, 2022
wasn’t sure about them at first but i had fun why lie
November 21, 2021
OMG, this is one of my favourite mafia books of the year!
This book starts off with a ballerina Violet dancing her heart out and living her dream. She gets a cruel awakening when she is kidnapped and forced into an arranged marriage with her family’s enemy Lucian Cross. He gives her no choice but to marry him, and she doesn’t have a chance to continue her dreams. Violet Carpella is soft and naive but the lies of her father are uncovered when she is forced to witness him trade her own life to save his own. The brutal murder of Lucian Cross’s family at the hands of the Carpella’s turned him from a wronged boy into a man dark with hatred for the murderers of his bloodline.
This book was so bloody good the shower scene was amazing. I loved seeing Lucian slow break and care for Violet.
“Lovely roses for a lovely girl and her lovely life” - Lucian Cross
“If you’re to be my wife, I’ll respect you, honour you. Don’t tempt me to brutally take what a man should be willing to wait for”-Lucian Cross
“Caring for this girl may hold the monsters back for a while, but it won’t tame him” - Lucian Cross
I bow to no one. Yet a tiny ballerina with a fiery temper brought me to my knees - Lucian Cross
I do wish the book could have been longer, I love Tisha Wolfe’s writing.
*received an ARC for an honest review*
This book starts off with a ballerina Violet dancing her heart out and living her dream. She gets a cruel awakening when she is kidnapped and forced into an arranged marriage with her family’s enemy Lucian Cross. He gives her no choice but to marry him, and she doesn’t have a chance to continue her dreams. Violet Carpella is soft and naive but the lies of her father are uncovered when she is forced to witness him trade her own life to save his own. The brutal murder of Lucian Cross’s family at the hands of the Carpella’s turned him from a wronged boy into a man dark with hatred for the murderers of his bloodline.
This book was so bloody good the shower scene was amazing. I loved seeing Lucian slow break and care for Violet.
“Lovely roses for a lovely girl and her lovely life” - Lucian Cross
“If you’re to be my wife, I’ll respect you, honour you. Don’t tempt me to brutally take what a man should be willing to wait for”-Lucian Cross
“Caring for this girl may hold the monsters back for a while, but it won’t tame him” - Lucian Cross
I bow to no one. Yet a tiny ballerina with a fiery temper brought me to my knees - Lucian Cross
I do wish the book could have been longer, I love Tisha Wolfe’s writing.
*received an ARC for an honest review*
November 15, 2025
Доста приличен мафия роман. В много отношения ми хареса повече от Devil in Ruin въпреки, че, подобно на него, има повече entertainment стойност, отколкото каквато и да била друга. Тук сюжета беше по-добре издържан. Не беше на преден план, но беше увлекателен. Плюс това Уолф не изпадаше в толкова клишета, което също го броя за плюс. Като изключим епилога. Не знам защо всички автори държат тия епилози да са еднотипни бози. But I digress. Без значение недостатъците на Marriage & Malice едно си остава: книгата е няколко нива над масовото (покъртително боклучливо) разбиране за "сензационен" мафия роман.
November 3, 2021
I love an arranged marriage romance but when you add the dark Mafia element that's my kryptonite. Lucien and Violet's story was dark, gritty and addicting. I am drawn to antiheros and I thought Lucien was fascinating. I especially liked seeing him war with himself over his attraction to his supposed enemy and fiancee. Violet was so caring and sweet. I enjoyed this story of revenge, love, forgiveness and redemption. This was my first read by this author and it won't be the last.
"She's the angel to my devil"
"She's the angel to my devil"
January 2, 2025
Update loved the duet audiobook.
Ohhh, Trisha has just scratched the surface on delving into the Mafia genre and I'M ALL HERE FOR IT!!!! Loved it!
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Ohhh, Trisha has just scratched the surface on delving into the Mafia genre and I'M ALL HERE FOR IT!!!! Loved it!
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
July 4, 2022
I feel as though this book had great potential, but the author simply wasn’t able to drive the revenge plot as well as the MCs love story simultaneously. The ending felt rushed as did their bond.
1.5 stars at best.
1.5 stars at best.
November 27, 2022
dnf @ 51%
I draw a line between sexual assault and seduction.
Do you know what is worse? The victim moved the attacker to the bathroom and took a freaking shower together and even helped remove his clothes after he tore hers off. Unbelievable.
I draw a line between sexual assault and seduction.
Do you know what is worse? The victim moved the attacker to the bathroom and took a freaking shower together and even helped remove his clothes after he tore hers off. Unbelievable.
Want to read
June 8, 2022Displaying 1 - 30 of 329 reviews