Forbidden War: Marco

Forbidden #2

by Stella Gray

I thought we were star-crossed lovers… but Bellanti men make their own fates. I fell in love with a lie.
That perfect face, those smoldering touches, his careful words...
I should have known a Bellanti can’t be trusted. Now I’m married to a man I no longer recognize. And his family is at war with mine. And I’m caught in the middle, trapped between men who would kill to possess me.
I wanted a hero, a white knight who would fight for me.
Marco fights for his family, for his honor...
He doesn’t fight for love. But my traitorous body still yearns for him.
Still responds to the sound of his voice, the memories of our long nights together.
I fell in love with a man who doesn’t exist, and I damned us all when I did. God help me, I’d still choose Marco Bellanti all over again. Book Two of Three in the all-new angsty, sizzling Forbidden Series.

Suggested Reading
Broken Bride - Dante (Bellanti Brothers Book 1)
Broken Vow - Dante (Bellanti Brothers Book 2)
Broken Trust - Dante (Bellanti Brothers Book 3)
Forbidden Bride - Marco (Bellanti Brothers Book 4)
Forbidden War - Marco (Bellanti Brothers Book 5)
Forbidden Love - Marco (Bellanti Brothers Book 6)

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Erotica, Audiobook, Contemporary, Dark, Mafia Romance

340 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 21, 2022

About the author

Stella Gray has always had her head in the clouds and has been writing since she was in high school. A contemporary romance author, she loves dark romances with morally gray men. When she’s not writing, she’s either in the kitchen testing out a new baking recipe or spending time in the great outdoors.

Reviews

[Christine B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marco & Karina are on shaky ground for a while, now he has started keeping company with the manipulative Jessica...Yes the Jessica that thought she could come between Dante & Frankie Bellanti relationship Marco oldest brother. Karina is a Bruno and the Bellanti are now getting in a full blown war because The Bellanti has found out that The Bruno family had something to do with their family murders.

Armani is very suspious of Karina because she is a Bruno because there is a mole and he's looking for that mole. But Karina has picked her husband side in this war, however The Bruno's refuse to let go and decides to threaten Karina. Which side will Karina choose? Who will will this war?

[Amour.Rebelle.Reads (Bran.d) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew! I devoured Forbidden War in one sitting!!! Because I NEEDED to know what Marco was thinking!! After that brutal conversation with Armani my heart broke with Karina:(

Things are a bit rocky for a Karina & Marco for a while. Ugh we get Jessica’s lovely self as well🙄 She missed out on Danté so now she’s got her sights set on Marco and of course she is still so nasty & manipulative😤

After a situation, the Bellanti family has circled the wagons and although Armani isn’t fond of Karina she and Frankie become close. I love that Frankie is so welcoming to Karina especially since her fairytale isn’t quite what she thought it would be.

Now I’m counting the days until Forbidden Love…🖤

[FS Meurinne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book of Marco and Karina's story, please read the previous one first. The story picks up after the cliffhanger, the plot thickens and we are dragged on a wild ride, the suspense is good, it keeps you enthralled and not wanting to stop and then we are stopped by another cliffy that is harder to swallow. I can't wait to find what these two must face next.





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[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

***ARC Provided by the Author***

3.5 Stars

Marco and Karina's story continues in this one...and, as always, it's virtually impossible to review the middle book in a trilogy without spoiling the first one.

So, I am going to say that it answers the questions from the first title...while giving us all sorts of new questions to ask and need resolved in the conclusion.

This author is new to me, and seems to also be a fairly new author (although this might be a pen name, no idea...feel free to let me know if this is the case) and I enjoyed the writing and the way the author structured the story.

I also enjoyed the first title in this trilogy, and I am looking forward to the conclusion of the story.

[United Indie Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forbidden War is book 2 in Marco’s trilogy and must be read after book 1! I seriously devoured this book. I love Karina and her coming into her own voice. I spent a few chapters mad at Marco but the heat from these two is always present. There’s a lot of mistrust between them and just when they are finding how to work Stella Gray throws a twist and a cliffhanger at us. I’m excited to read Forbidden Love and see how it all ends.

Review by Raychel

[🦉Maggie Whitworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋
🥵🥵

Mafia Romance, violence, abuse, kidnapping, imprisonment,threats to rape.

[Lauren - SERIESous Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest voluntary review. All opinions are my own and not influenced by my source.**

Things are ramping up!

This isn't your usual book #2. There is tension brimming in every aspect of this one. If it wasn't the drama between the two warring families, the tension between Karina and Marco was front and center.

There's plenty of danger when it comes to the drama though and I loved the edge of suspense that came with it. I really didn't know how things were going to play out and that always wins bonus points for me.

I also think this book does a great job of evolving Karina and Marco's individual characters. I think the star though is Karina as she starts to find her voice and her place in the world. I enjoyed watching her come into her true self and embracing the freedom she has always longed to have.

These star-crossed lovers have me rooting for them all the way! Who doesn't love a suspenseful family saga filled with love and danger?

Check out more spoiler-free book and series reviews on my blog SERIESousBookReviews.com as well as read book series recaps!

Full Review: https://wp.me/p7hLUw-3BT
Actual Rating: 4/5

[Karen_Lee_Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forbidden War
(Forbidden #2)
By Stella Gray

Sergio Bruno lost his prize, his niece Karina and now if you had anything to do with Marco and Karina’s wedding watch your back, he is going to make you pay. Even if he steps over the sacred truce between the Mob and the Church, Bruno is on the war path! The Bellanti’s know that he will come after them it’s just a matter of time.

While everyone gets ready for war they get word that Frankie’s sister Livi disappears. Is she just travelling with her bodyguard or has she become the next victim of the Bruno family.

With all this happening, Karina might be having second thoughts when it comes to her new husband. Can she trust him? She wonders is it a smart thing to leave the one place she is probably at least protected. Of course Armani Bellanti is sure she is a mole, is she or isn’t she? Armaniis like a dog with a bone when it comes to this question.

While Karina is working on speaking up for herself and getting some backbone, Marco is acting like an ass. I wondered who was the younger person in this relationship for a while and I was happy to give Karina a slow loud clap when she put Marco in his place. Men! They sure can act like children sometimes.

From the first page in this book until the last page readers will be shocked, surprised, look over their shoulders and wonder what is going to happen and who is going to be caught in the crossfire.

There is non-stop action that occurs on almost every page and just when you think the newlyweds have figured things out, you will be shocked when the set-up comes for the next book. Wars are hell and we may be moving in that direction.

Can’t wait for book three, Forbidden Love! Will our Romeo and Juliet make it through their first year of marriage?

[Dora Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

And the plot thickens… All’s fair in love and war, right? But what happens when a supposedly loved one looses his pawn, Karina, and she is ensnared between Marco and Sergio who would kill to possess her and the lines soon become blurred? Literally, would killing a priest also fall within these parameters? Will fate force Karina to choose between love and revenge? This book continues where the last book left off. Karina and Marco are now married, and it seems as if Karina needs to prove herself to the Bellanti family that she is loyal and trustworthy—just like she had to do with her own family, the Brunos. Will this cause a rift between Karina and Marco? Now, the Bellani’s family nemesis knows that Karina is married to their enemy and the Bellanis expect the Brunos will come after them because of it. The threat is now more discernible than ever when another family member was kidnapped and recovered. How far will the Brunos go for revenge, and will Karina’s life be in jeopardy? With time running out for Marco and his family, a shockingly realization throws everything the Bellantis thought they knew into uncertainty. Is there a mole within their family/security? I was flabbergasted with the unexpected revelations that happened, but it was jaw-dropping good! This romantic suspense is raw, emotional, intense, but deliciously addicting with a tangled mess of lies, betrayal, and secrets. This story is intriguing and captivating with its angst, twists and turns—some you see coming, some you don’t. Find out what happens between Marco and Karina—see if there is a way they can recover from all the pain they have endured. OMG… Stella Gray, I love this trilogy—you’ve made me a fan for life! I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[SANDRA · Rating 2 out of 5]

Woe is Karina 1,2, and 3

I wholeheartedly believe a Trilogy was unnecessary and it probably,y why Armani has been the only character I find likable.

The author made the same mistake with Karina that she did with Frankie. She tried to portray Karina as endearing, naive,and selfless, but I found her annoying with her ridiculous obsession with Jane Austen and her thinking her and Marco is the modern Romeo and Juliette.

There is also her attempt as portraying Dante and Marco alpha males with a moral compass. FAIL!

The author could not make me believe that any of the attributes that she assigned to the characters(except Armani) were authentic.

Karina’s internal “woe is me” musings were nauseating. She was the consummate perpetual victim in all three books and in complete denial that she more like her uncle and not at all “innocent”! She was the most selfish character to date in my opinion, and her Marco are two peas in pod.

There was also a lot of unnecessary intimate scenes that were clearly added to fill up pages since they were at the most bizarre places/time.

Dante and Frankie are as annoying as ever— especially Frankie COS playing as the virtuous wife/sister/boss lady. I dislike her even more than I did in her series.

I ended up skimming a lot of book 3, because I was over them.

The only character I found remotely tolerable in the two trilogies so far is Armarmi and I am hoping after 6 books in this series, the author will do him justice.

[J. Grayland · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought we were star-crossed lovers… but Bellanti men make their own fates. I fell in love with a lie.
That perfect face, those smoldering touches, his careful words...
I should have known a Bellanti can’t be trusted. Now I’m married to a man I no longer recognize. And his family is at war with mine. And I’m caught in the middle, trapped between men who would kill to possess me.
Look I don't know what it is about this series but I am just addicted to the story of these brothers. But they would have to be the most comical and weakest mafia family I have ever come accross, people get kidnapped, they sit around and talk about it, your husbands old misstress causes trouble and you hate her, you let her stay hanging around the business. They do nothing mafia style, no power, no guts and the wives put up with their husbands doing questionable things with the ex GF. I mean his wife gets kidnapped and when they get her back instead of attending to her injuries Marco gives her to his brother to interigate her. It is just so weird but somewhat interesting. And the sex is hot I would have to admit that Marco is quite funny.

[Vera Blaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't realize that this book was a continuation of book 1 in series so I was a little lost in the beginning. It was not difficult to get the gist of what was going in after reading through the first chapter. Karina and Marco come from rival families so it goes without saying that their union was going to end up with a volatile outcome of some sort. It was evident that they loved each other against all odds but that they didn't quite trust. I was intrigued with the story from the beginning. Thank goodness for long plane rides that gave me the opportunity to read start to finish without interruptions. I can't wait to see how Karina and Marco's relationship ends up and how much darker their storyline becomes.

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this second book in the Forbidden Series. The back and forth between Karina and Marco kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next. I loved that Karina not only stood up to Marco and his "bad behavior", but also began to slowly stand up for herself. Marco also grew on a personal level, no longer able to deny his love for Karina. The non-stop action and the evil-doings of Karina's family, the Brunos, really kept the suspense level high throughout the book. There's lots happening in this story, and the cliffhanger ending of Book #2 is a doozy. Will Karina ever be able to escape the pressures from her Mafia family? Will she and Marco ever be able to stop looking over their shoulder and live happily-ever-after? I, for one, will be looking forward to reading Book #3 and finding out!

[Jesi Blanco · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is, in fact, the month of Make-Jesi-Cry-With-Every-Book-She-Reads month. This time it isn't because I was sad because of a scene written in a book. It was because I got so mad at Marco that the only way to make me feel better was to let it all out in tears.🙄

Don't get me wrong I love Marco and Karina together but their dynamic in this book was so different than from the first book. They were no longer the cute, star-crossed lovers. They were shattered.

And the thing with the cliffhangers? Agh, I can't wait for the third book. The suspense is killing me🥲

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARGH!!!

Seriously?? I have to wait until August to find out what happens with Karina and Marco?? Ugh! Just when these two are finally happily in love she's going to have to do what Armani, that insensitive asshole, has been accusing her of doing from the beginning. I'm already thinking that she has to be smart enough to ditch the ring. That's replaceable but her husband, sister-in-law, etc, are not. Poor Marco. I believe he's about to become more comfortable with a gun and the concept of the violent life his family was sucked back into. Part of me knows that things will work out in the end but, come on, give these two a break! I'll be practically holding my breath until August!!

[Vicki Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forbidden War continues the story of Marco and Karina Bellanti as they are living with the consequences of their elopement and Marco’s rescuing Karina just minutes before her arranged marriage to Pietro. Their marriage sets up a series of events including murder, kidnappings, family suspicions, and a mafia war. This book is a well written addition to this trilogy by Stella Gray which has well developed characters and an intriguing plot with misunderstandings, family disagreements, unexpected twists, and a steamy love story. The book ends in a cliffhanger. Marco and Karina’s story will continue in Forbidden Love which is the final book in this outstanding trilogy.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Laura Reads Too Much · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in Marco and Karina's trilogy and it's all going wrong!!!

You definitely have to read book one before this - actually I highly recommend you go back and read The Broken Trilogy as well, you will get the full effect as to why the Bruno's are pure scum!

It's quite a sad book to be honest, Karina juts wants to be loved, Marco wants to love her but his brother makes him doubt her putting the whole marriage in jeopardy and if I'm completely honest - there was a part that I was fully fuming at Marco! You'll know when you know!

Anyway, Armani doesn't trust her and keeps trying to come between them, her family are still cruel people and everytime you think things have settled, something else kicks off!

I'm looking forward to the finale....

3.5 stars.

[Sharon in SF · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the question Marco and his brothers continue to ask themselves about Karina. Marco wants to believe his gut that his wife isn't acting as a spy for her family, but his brother Armani continues to cast doubt over her true intentions. Of course, since this story is told from a dual point of view, we know the truth. When we first met Karina in Forbidden Bride, she led a very sheltered life governed by her abusive uncle. Through each challenge from the Bellantis, she continues to fight to prove her loyalty. Will it cost her everything in the end? We'll have to wait for their next book since this one left us hanging off a cliff!

[Gerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marco and Karina, Part II. Karina was desperate to escape her uncle and the arranged marriage to Pietro. But has she jumped from the frying pan into the fire? She overhears Marco telling his brothers he only married her for information about her family, a rival mafia organization. Armani is willing to listen but deeply believes she is a mole. She had felt there was something more between Marco and her, maybe even love, but it appears she was mistaken. Meanwhile Frankie's sister Livvie is still missing with no leads. Everyone is sure Karina knows more than she is revealing. Does she know something? So so good. Nasty cliffhanger, but so worth reading!

[Jennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in this series is just as addicting as the first book. It pulls you in from the start with a suspenseful, action packed, romantic and steamy plot line. Marco & Karina’s relationship continues to get tested in all aspects. Armani doesn’t trust her motives and causes Marco to question his trust in Karina. I absolutely enjoyed book two of this series. We get to see more of Romeo Marco woo Karina. Their relationship goes through some ups and downs. Karina starts to gain confidence in herself and stands up for herself. The story starts to build and leaves you hanging at the end. I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

[Virginia VanSaders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another cliffhanger in this fabulous second book!

Marco and Karina’s continuing story after the cliffhanger of Forbidden Bride, Book number one, is all that, and more. A war between two mafia families, to say the least. Marco and Karina have a small war going on between them, also. With a little guidance from her sister-in-law, Karina is learning to stick up for herself. So many things happen in this book, you just have to read it. It’s that good! I’m so looking forward to the conclusion in the next one!

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Rating: 4.5/5

My Thoughts: Marco and Karina's story picks up from the previous book. Both Marco and Karina attempt to fight their feelings for one another, defying the inevitable. While they have their ups and downs throughout this book, I enjoyed reading how they pushed through. Marco's character growth is evolving for the better, and Karina is finally starting to stand up for herself. This book has betrayal, spice, drama, and violence. There is a slight plot twist and cliffhanger. I can't wait to read how their story ends in the next book.

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the forbidden series. Forbidden bride was terrific but this is even better. Lots of confrontations among the families. Karina got stronger and stood up to Marco. Their chemistry is combustible though. Excellent romance with lots of steamy scenes. Love the twists and turns.... Non-stop action and conflicts! Can't wait to see how things end at the end....

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

[Helen (Blissfully Bookish Besties) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forbidden War is the 5th book in the Bellanti Brothers series, and the second book in Marco and Karina's story. Picking up from where Forbidden Bride left off, this book is action packed and a real page turner, it was difficult to put it down! Karina and Marco's journey was always going to explosive, I don't usually read books with cliffhangers until all the books have been released, but I just couldn't resist with this series. I am eagerly awaiting three!!

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book continues where the first book left off. I love the Bellantis. They are all about family. A lot of progress was made in this book between them. I look forward to the last book in this trilogy!

[Lisa Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm loving these characters Marco and Karina are intense but she's learning to survive him and stand up for herself. The journey is dangerous but all so consuming and I can't wait to see the what the next part will be.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this story moved along quite well and a few of the questions from book one were answered. Of course, this book also ends in a cliffhanger and I’m anxious to read book three in Marco and Karina’s story.

[Edwina " I LoveBooks" "Deb" · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part 2 Marco and Karina struggle through their marriage. Belonging to enemy families. It is hard for them to trust each other. Karina comes into her own. Marco finally admits to that he is in love with his wife Karina!!

[Jodie Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Karina has no one. She can’t trust a word her new husband says but going back to her uncle isn’t an option either. With her uncle making plays against her new family, can anyone get out alive

Xx

[Ambreen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the forbidden series in bellanti brother series ,this book is definitely a must read . I was gulping down every chapter like my last bowl of ramen . This has a suspense ending though .