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Pride

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Oh, you wanted a sweet romance? Sorry, this is mafia life.

Lilly Moretti is living a lie. After escaping an arranged marriage to a monster, the daughter of a mob boss is living free under a secret identity and flourishing in her new life.
That's until she's kidnapped by a mysterious stranger determined to take her back, ignoring her desperate pleas. The stubborn drop dead gorgeous tough guy drags her back to the devil she tried to escape, and all Lilly can do is prepare to face her ruin.

Ren Vitali has a lot to prove. As the new head of the Vitali Crime family, he knows all eyes are on him. His plan is fool proof: kidnap the girl and collect the money her father owes, then never look back.
But when he comes face to face with the beautiful, smart mouthed woman intent on driving him crazy, feelings of another kind arise. When he discovers he's returning her back to a sadistic madman, doubt creeps in. And when that scum sets his cruel eyes on her, the decision is made. The only way to protect her, is to marry her.

With her past coming for her, Lilly’s only hope of surviving is to run. But Ren refuses to let her go, and he doesn't fight fair. Not just because he looks like every girl’s fantasy, but because he takes shots at her heart. Showing Lilly for the first time, a ruthless mafia boss with a heart does exist.

Sinfully delicious and action-packed, Pride is the first novel in the Queens of Sin series. With an arranged marriage and plenty of chemistry, this book has everything you need for a steamy night in.

Warning: there are some triggers in this book, so please read with caution.

399 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 7, 2023

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Penny Knight

5 books17 followers

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5 stars
60 (45%)
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48 (36%)
3 stars
17 (12%)
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5 (3%)
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2 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
Profile Image for R Rais.
1,588 reviews45 followers
December 21, 2022
Usually slow burn irritated me but Pride is one exception I love to go through again and again.

Llily and Ren's chemistry was slow burn at it's finest with how they interacted. The author make sure they talk. Yep that's true. They talk. Smart and deep banters that allowed them to get to know each other like normal couple do in real life and it's refreshing.
In a wod where lust goes like crazy and couples bang each other brins at first page only to have trust issues, it's so refreshing to have our couple to talk, to bicker, to fight in their way getting in each other skin.

And when finally the lava exploded? It was combustible smegsi times!
Hotdang the sweet Ren can easily ravaged my body and i'll lay there willingly... Lol

And the charachters! I'm not only in love with Ren and Lily as main charachters, but also his boys! Seriously need Dave, Dante and Tommy story in their own big huge.. You got what i mean here.. Lol.... BOOK!

The story line was slow but sure. The background story was perfectly lined up. Even the devil gave me the chills, i was greatfull the author didnt go more explocot than she already did for i might throw up reading all his crimes to Lily.

For my first read from the author, this book is perfectly enough for me to start hunting her other books.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Linda V..
621 reviews10 followers
December 26, 2022
Book #1 of Queens of Sin and I'm hooked!! This is Ren and Lilly's story. Lilly is running from her dangerous life and family. Ren is the new head of his family and seeking payment for a debt from Lilly's father. Suspense, arranged marriage, steam, this one has it all. I can't wait for the rest of the series!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Tanya.
922 reviews19 followers
May 29, 2023
This mafia romance is a gritty, slow burn and has dark themes. Mostly about a damaged Mc, forced proximity, and finding Mr. Right. The author does a great job of having lots of slow burn almost to the point of losing interest in the story and then eventually moving into a very steamy part of the book. I did enjoy the gritty unfiltered parts of the story but this book has trigger warning all over it. If you are sensitive to certain topics don't read it. The author doesn't shy away from, including things like abuse, murder, kidnapping, and other horrors in the story. However, I did think the way they were presented and talked about was very integrated into this story and didn't feel at all forced. The author did a great job of including sensitive topics without too much detail. I did enjoy the ending of this book. I also found I connected to Lilly the main character. By the end, I was dreaming and gasping right along with her.

Lilliana or Lilly hints at an interesting backstory as we get introduced to her she is working. A promotional party briefly clues us in with talk of a new identity, new hair color, and painful past. She is familiar with the cruel reality as both her father and Sergei have been part of her past. She is familiar with the mafia lifestyle and macho men. The book begins with trouble as Ren and his syndicate bring her back to the past.

Ren is a complicated person one minute he is a big bad mafia don and the next he shows his human side. I don't have a read on him yet. I like that he has a sense of humor, not all bravado. Ren is more gentle than I expected for a Mafia family head. Oh, this book gets steamy as he deals with the pent-up tension she causes. Life seems good for her as she gets adapted to her new circumstances.

We spend a lot of time in this book getting moments of humanity from both Lilly and Ren while also looking back and remembering the worst parts of their lives. I'm pretty sure of what the author is trying to accomplish but I hope it has a point as I am honestly struggling to get thru this book. We go back and forth pushing and pulling till finally something changes for Lilly and Ren. I loved the slow burn and we do get a steamy scene.

The end of this book goes from a living dream life to a nightmare for Lilly. The end of this book has some serious trigger warnings. If you weren't tipped off by now to the horror of what was coming in this mafia romance the end may not surprise you but it may turn your stomach and it could trigger some people. Thru the gritty ending, we do get a happily ever after or at least a happy-for-now ending.
Profile Image for Dee.
5,286 reviews62 followers
December 25, 2022
This is part of the Queens of Sin series boy what a start to an amazing series so, buckle up this is a wild ride, dangerous men, alpha’s personified, possessive, oh, so gorgeous, brooding all the makings of a story consisting with three D’s (dark, delicious, and dirty) 😊. There will be suspense, betrayal, death, darkness, secrets reveled, violence, hope, forgiveness, and maybe even love (ALL THINGS TO EXPECT FROM THE MAFIA WORLD). By the time you’ve figured out who is who and what is what, you’re already hooked, and you may as well give up the fight and prepare yourself for an all-nighter! CAN’T SAY YOU WEREN’T WARNED!!!!!
Two families feud based on revenge, lies throw in a little ....well a lot of danger into the mix and you end up with Lilly and Ren’s story. Lilly worked so hard to get away from her past on the run not only from that life but from a fiancé she didn’t want to marry, her life isn’t as it seems she has been through so much but the life she has built for the past 18 months is changed the moment she is kidnapped. Ren sexy as all get out kidnapper out to collect on a debt owed to his family what better way to collect a debt then to kidnap the daughter of the man who owes him but he didn’t realize just how much she has had to endure at the hands of her father so he decides to keep her but neither of them expected anything more than kidnapper and victim relationship however, the attraction is off the charts, the magnetic pull is too strong it can’t be ignored but Ren needs that debt to take his place in his family, her father wants her back to force her to do as he wants to further himself, she wants freedom to live her life with choice, so the question is where are they headed and will it lead them to their own HEA despite the obstacles in their way?.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Cara.
573 reviews7 followers
March 5, 2024
A Mafia romance with a softer side

I have to be honest, I didn't think I was going to like this book. At the start, there was quite a lot of inner monologue from both MCs. I started thinking the whole book wax was going to be like this, but what kept me reading is the FMC. She was a character, I loved the way she was written, and I really, really enjoyed this book!
This was a Mafia romance, but it wasn't as dark as what you normally would get in a typical Mafia story. It was light-hearted, and Lily's character made it fun and easy to read. I also liked Ren's character, and the supporting characters were good, too. Whilst there were dark tones in the book, these, I felt , were out weighed by the light. I think Lily's attitude toward everything made it that way. There was mention here and there of the life and what Ren does, but there was never any detail until the end when they started looking for Sergei.
I liked Ren's attitude toward his and Lily's situation, he never once tried to push too hard, despite how they met, he was always soft and sweet with her and tried to get her to come around without force.
I enjoyed the writing so much that I started to see the scenes playing out in my head. I can almost imagine this as an underworld movie.
Also based in Australia, so that was a nice surprise!
Well done to the author, and thank you!
Profile Image for ljamison.
1,759 reviews
January 6, 2023
In this first book of the series “Queen of Sin” we meet Liliana (Lily) and Ren. Lily had run away from her father and her fiancé and had relocated to a new place, dyed her hair blonde and was working as an event planner. She was trying to live a life of her own far away from her father and Sergei.
Ren found her and decided to bring her back home to her father. Ren’s father was owed a million dollars from Lily’s father. Ren’s father was extremely sick and it was decided that Ren would get back this money to prove to the family that he deserved to be the boss. However, when Ren saw Sergei and heard the things he said to Lily,he knew that he would not give her up.
So Ren decides to marry Lily, although Lily is convinced that Sergei won’t let her go and that she will be taken away from Ren.
I loved Ren, he was such a nice man he truly wanted to help Lily. He was kind and generous. Lily was great, strong and determined to escape Ren and get far away from everyone. The chemistry between these two was very hot. There were some sexy, steamy moments in this book.
This is my first book by Penny Knight but it won’t be my last. I enjoyed her writing style, the humor and the way she presented her characters and the story. I was truly captivated and stayed up all night to finish the book. I loved it and cannot wait for book 2. Great read if you love mafia romances.
Profile Image for Cara.
352 reviews9 followers
February 10, 2023
A Mafia romance with a softer side

I have to be honest, I didn't think I was going to like this book. At the start, there was quite a lot of inner monologue from both MCs. I started thinking the whole book wax was going to be like this, but what kept me reading is the FMC. She was a character, I loved the way she was written, and I really, really enjoyed this book!
This was a Mafia romance, but it wasn't as dark as what you normally would get in a typical Mafia story. It was light-hearted, and Lily's character made it fun and easy to read. I also liked Ren's character, and the supporting characters were good, too. Whilst there were dark tones in the book, these, I felt , were out weighed by the light. I think Lily's attitude toward everything made it that way. There was mention here and there of the life and what Ren does, but there was never any detail until the end when they started looking for Sergei.
I liked Ren's attitude toward his and Lily's situation, he never once tried to push too hard, despite how they met, he was always soft and sweet with her and tried to get her to come around without force.
I enjoyed the writing so much that I started to see the scenes playing out in my head. I can almost imagine this as an underworld movie.
Also based in Australia, so that was a nice surprise!
Well done to the author, and thank you!
Profile Image for Carol 27.
1,107 reviews
December 22, 2022
While this story is labelled as a dark mafia romance, there’s not that much time spent on mafia goings-on until things ramp up towards the end. There are definitely dark elements though – specifically violence, torture and brutality, and, often at the hands of Lilly’s obsessive, ex-fiancé, Sergei.

I enjoyed the early interactions between Ren (the newly appointed head of the Vitali crime family) and Lilly, the daughter of a rival. She was clever, resourceful and quick with a sassy retort. Despite their instant attraction and intense chemistry, I liked that Lily didn’t let her body rule her actions where Ren was concerned. I also enjoyed the camaraderie amongst Ren’s men, and how easily Lilly won them over with her charm.

I liked this story, but found it suffered from some plot predictability. In addition to the dark elements (mentioned above), there’s plenty of drama, angst, and some humour along with several steamy, explicit sexual encounters between the H&h.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout, and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Emma.
2,864 reviews39 followers
January 10, 2023
I felt this was slow for most of the book. Interesting yes but I felt bored. It was easy to read. I did enjoy Lilly's character. She was sassy and it was fun to see her in action. What was really sad was from the moment she was born she was unwanted, unloved, despised, hated. When she became of age she was given in marriage to a psychopath. He equated blood, pain, punishment as his way of showing love. Lilly knew nothing else until Ren came into her life. Ren was a mafia don in his own right. What was unique about Ren was he was able to separate his business life from his emotional home life. The best part of the book was towards the end. Lots of action, high drama, sacrifice, anger and hostage situation.

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

Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Action-packed
Easy-to-read
Page-turner
Romantic
Realistic
Scary
Steamy
Tragic
Twisted
Witty
9,377 reviews141 followers
December 24, 2022
This is a well written mafia romance with strong characters in Lilly and Ren. The author brings an action packed story that had me glued to the pages from start to finish. She does a great job building the story and brings a slow burn romance with a terrific banter. There's revenge and lies along with the danger between the feuding families. She adds in strong secondary characters to help bring the story around. It's well written, moves fluidly with her descriptive scenes and is a fantastic read. Loved and recommend this book.

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
Profile Image for Priscilla.
1,148 reviews
December 22, 2022
The cover and title is a bit deceiving that this story was one of the sweetest I have ever read. Ren kidnaps Lilly in exchange for the money her father owes him. Lilly has been on the run from her ex-fiance the past 18 months. Ren couldn't give her up once he found out what she had to endure.
It was well written of how their relationship grew and how they eventually learn to trust one another. Highly recommended.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
7,160 reviews34 followers
December 21, 2022
A good start to this series Queens of the Sin. This is a new author for me and I am looking forward to read the next book. In this story we are introduced to Lily and Ren and this is their journey. The story is full of drama, suspense, action, mafia, romance. The story will keep you interested, the characters are likeable and fit well together. Overall a good read.

I am voluntarily leaving a review.
4,562 reviews52 followers
December 25, 2022
When Ren’s father has a heart attack, he takes over as the head of his family. He kidnaps Lilly Moretti, in an attempt to get the mother her father owes his family. Only he finds himself not only with a feisty spitfire but she is adamant on not wanting to go back to her father and ex fiancé Sergi. She is even willing to fight and she does just that. Ren is bewildered by her actions but when he finds out the reason, his intentions change. My first read by Penny Knight and really enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Happyscribe.
950 reviews9 followers
January 2, 2023
How far can you run from your past? Apparently not far enough as the case of Lily and Ren highlight in this first book in the Queen of Sin series. Must say, the slow burn of the story almost threw me off my momentum, but the sheer magnetism of the characters and the story twists hooked me solidly right to the end. Great start to a new dark romance world - I'm staying for the rest!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for ash.
148 reviews3 followers
January 5, 2023
Honestly, I don’t see Penny Knight around enough in all the bookish communities. Her characters are so, so easy to connect with, her FMCs are relatable, the guys are 😙👌🏼. I love her books. I love the worlds she builds, whether it’s fantasy or dark romance. I love the stories she tells. I want more people to read her books so I can talk to them about all our favorite parts.

Thank you, Penny Knight, for offering me an ARC of your book. But you should know I need more of this series. Now. 💕💕
Profile Image for Tiffany.
580 reviews
December 20, 2022
Lilly and Ren story was so addicting and hot!! I’ve never read anything by this author but she definitely has a forever reader now! I havnt read a good mafia book in awhile! So if you’re into that please read this story!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
9,479 reviews67 followers
December 22, 2022
Lily thought she was free from her past life only for Ren to drag her back, Ren wanted the money back and prove his self as leader, and to do that he needed Lily. But what happens when feelings develop between them? Well written steamy hot, slow paced engaging and more.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Elesha's book fun gossip.
1,147 reviews3 followers
December 26, 2022
Lilly and Ren’s story is a mix of trouble, drama, betrayal, violence, chemistry,passion and trust. This was a fantastic read with interesting characters that lead you to a kidnapping on a debt to be payed with more than meets the eye.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Deb.
7,762 reviews36 followers
January 4, 2023
I loved this story which was a delightful mix of suspense, drama, intrigue and romance. I felt her emotional pain and anguish. I loved how the story progressed which was beautifully orchestrated to captivate the reader from the moment you meet the characters. Great story.

I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
68 reviews2 followers
January 10, 2023
Wow what started as ren kidnapping lily then realising the monster he decided to keep lily and promised to protect her and keep her safe as her life events unravelled and the dark depths her torturer would go too.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Tracey.
26 reviews
February 19, 2023
I really liked this book . For mafia it referred to dark deeds but it was well written and more of an upbeat light mafia because the main female character was more of a sunshine positive person that the alpha female you get in a lot of the mafia or the ditzy one . I liked the supporting cast of characters and well as Ren. I can’t wait to see what she does with the series.
4 reviews
June 3, 2023
Great

I've been on a dark mafia romance binge. I can't get enough of it. This book hits home for me because I've been the victim and survivor of abuse and the panic and fear of them showing up and taking you away. I loved the book, Ren was amazing learning how to deal with Lilly and help her threw traumatic situations ❤️
2,030 reviews8 followers
December 26, 2022
This is my first Penny Knight novel, and I wasn't disappointed. Deliciously dark and dangerous. Great characters, and a well written storyline. Would recommend. Cannot wait for the next book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Paula Richard.
90 reviews
December 27, 2022
Pretty interesting Book. I did enjoy it. There is mention of physical and mental abuse but it is presented well and services its purpose. It was long- some scenes where not needed but thats my opinion.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Gina Burkart.
3,870 reviews53 followers
January 1, 2023
I loved this read . I read in one setting and loved this dark read. This story pulled me in from the beginning.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
4,076 reviews
January 2, 2023
Pride: An Arranged Marriage Mafia Romance
Book 1 of Queens of Sin
Penny Knight

The story and characters, Ren and Lilly, are wonderfully made. The chemistry and danger in this book kept me intrigued. Great read.
62 reviews
January 3, 2023
For my first Penny Knight book I really enjoyed it.
I enjoyed the storyline in addition to the characters.
Will definitely be reading more from this author.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
87 reviews1 follower
January 9, 2023
Not a Bad Ride - 4 Stars

I have read tons of mafia books and it’s getting hard to read one that keeps my interest. However, this was a good read kept me invested in the storyline and up way past my bedtime. Really like this on
3,651 reviews20 followers
January 10, 2023
Pride is an arranged mafia marriage romance between Ren and Lilly. The characters are interesting especially with their banter. This well written read has steamy attraction, action, and intrigue.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Felicia.
384 reviews12 followers
February 13, 2023
The first half was better. The second half was kind of dull. Ren seems like a nice guy, but he’s not very bright or strategic. He honestly has no business heading a crime family. I felt like the plot wasn’t entirely cohesive, and just shallow overall. But I’d read future books by this author.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews