The Devil's Pawn

Cavaleri Brothers #2

by Lilian Harris

She’s an angel in a devil’s world and I’m the monster about to make her mine.

I set my sights on Raquel Bianchi long ago, devising a plan to marry the niece of the don of the Palermo crime family.

She thinks I'm her savior, a means to escape an arranged marriage she desperately wants out of, but I'm nothing more than a different version of hell. I have no intention of letting her go, no matter what our contract says.

I have no intention of falling in love with her either.

But her beauty is as powerful as my need for revenge, and this angel must pay the price with her freedom.

Genres: Mafia Romance, Dark Romance, Romance, Marriage Of Convenience, Contemporary, Dark, Enemies To Lovers

319 pages, Paperback

Published March 11, 2022

About the author

Hi! I'm only on Goodreads on occassion. You may find me on my website www.LilianHarris.com

Or, connect with me through social media.

Thanks!

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EMAIL: LilianHarrisAuthor@gmail.com

Reviews

[ya.vl · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️
Вирішила ще таки дочитати її сьогодні щоб не відкладати на завтра, бо я вже розуміла що не засну
Ця книга мені сподобалась набагато більше ніж перша, але теж є свої нюанси
Чесно я не перестаю дивуватись з їхньої родини 🤯 що ж це за батьки такі🤦🏿‍♀️
Я читала і просто афігівала, наскільки ж це треба бути конченим, я вже просто не добираю слів
А їхні дядьки, я не можу це в голову вкласти🥹
Настільки це все жорстоко🥲
Ладно менше з тим
Данте і Ракель, це просто вогняна парочка🔥
Данте такий чоловік чоловік, впевнений в собі, харизматичний він просто підкорить серце будь якої жінки
Стосовно Ракель я так зрозуміла авторка вирішила в цьому циклі написати про слабких жінок, це дуже сумно🥲
Таки чоловіки витягують цей цикл
Я захоплююсь ними як братами, оце я розумію сімʼя🔥
Бісив Данте моментами коли « я не можу бути з Ракель бо її батько такий то такий то»🤦🏿‍♀️ні, ну ти серйозно 🗿
Хотілось вдарити його чимось, от Енцо дуже здивував, він показав себе з кращої сторони
Кінець мене розчавив, чесно💔 я навіть не зрозуміла що це вже все…
Якщо ви закинули читати цей цикл після першої книги то таки варто дати шанс другій книзі, вона набагато краща
Ну і Данте сам як чоловік просто неймовірний 🥰

[Tetyana · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5
У мене були зовсім інші очікування до книги, тому я трішки розчаруваламь.

В першій книзі нам показали, що стосунки Данте і Ракель наповнені шаленою хімією, з частими перепалками і взаємною пристрастю. Враховуючи це, а також тропи: договірний шлюб і від ворогів до закоханих, я очікувала, напруги між героями, поступової закоханості і розкриття почуттів та шалених емоцій. А на ділі між ним все занадто швидко і легко закрутилося. Тут вони домовляються про шлюб і обговорюють правила, а на наступний день їх порушують, Ракель отримує купу оргазмів за раз, а Данте намагається всіма способами її задовільнити. Через два тижні в них вже любов до гроба, і все в шоколаді. Ну така вже insta-love. Не люблю таке.

Також, не сподобалася поведінка Данте в середині книги, то він повністю відключив мозок і занурився в свої почуття, а тут згадує для чого все це затівалося. Я б хотіла, щоб було навпаки.

Сподобалося ставлення Данте до Ракель, його турбота, любов, обожнювання, те що Ракель змогла прийняти його темряву і не засуджувала його.
Але знову ж таки в першій книзі Данте був набагато яскравішим і харизматичнішим, а Ракель мала гострий язичок. А тут авторка, ніби трохи забула про що писала спочатку, тому що стосунки героїв, особисто для мене, видалися прісними, я майже не відчула жодних емоції. Захопили лише сюжетні повороти вкінці. Це було несподівано і дуже боляче. От хто так закінчує книгу????

В цілому, стиль написання у авторки красивий і читається легко, але сама історія для мене виявилася посередньою💔

[Travelogged Blogs · Rating 5 out of 5]

"He’s an angel in a devil’s body, and deep down, I want to know how it’d feel to be corrupted by the likes of him."

I loved loved loved this book! Lilian Harris has quickly become one of my favourite authors when it comes to mafia romances! After the cliffhanger in this one, I'm truly shuddering and left feeling awed. The entire plot threw me off balance and Dante & Raquel's chemistry just had me feeling flustered and breathless. The moment they met, I was completely captivated by the intense attraction between them and Dante's easygoing personality just made it so easy to feel connected with him!

"Raquel will always be out of my league. Her beauty will always rival my savagery. But every savage needs a gentle queen to keep him from falling deeper into the darkness."

Raquel was truly an angel, I liked her dynamic with Dante. They were inevitable and the progress of their relationship felt so natural! She in a way, bought light to his darkness and gave his life a new meaning other than just focusing on revenge. Even though, she was just supposed to be an assignment, Dante could tell that she was different from her family, so innocent yet so sassy, he just couldn't resist the overwhelming connection between them anymore. A marriage of convenience was turning out to be much more than what both of them bargained for. Will they get their HEA or the secret Dante is keeping will take Raquel further away from him? You have to pick this up to find out and brace yourselves because the sparks between Dante & Raquel were absolutely enthralling!
This book was extremely well-written, with passion, drama, angst, some shocking twists that had me on the edge of my seat, and side characters like Enzo and Joelle that have their own stories to be told. I liked the first book but this one was even more enjoyable! I just can't wait to see what Lilian brings us next!

ARC received in exchange of an honest review

[Hilda · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I hope you know…” he adds in between soft kisses down to my shoulder. “I’m gonna fight like hell to keep you.”

These two were fire the whole time. Dante and Raquel have serious chemistry. I was rooting for this marriage of convenience the whole time. Every time he called her wife… it was hot.

There’s more plot to the crazy story. It ends with a serious cliff hanger. I don’t like those at all but I already bought the next book so I’m not mad at it. I would have been so mad if I had to wait. Lol. It’s still I retesting and I’m looking forward to the fourth book the most. I hope it doesn’t disappoint.

[Alina Fuchsia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐

[Inna ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ця серія цікава, все побудовано на ненависті та помсті. Історії переплітаються, хоча були моменти з першої частини, друга є не менш цікавою. Історія постійно набирала оберту і розповідала все більше подробиць не тільки про головних героїв, але і про їхні сім'ї.

Ракель і Данте просто солодкі булочки, дуже мила пара🥰 Без сексу звісно не обійшлось, але пара дуже гармонійна і полюбляє все вирішувати адекватно☺

І о, боже...яка неочікувана кінцівка, хочеться кричати від несправедливості 😱
Дуже чекаю продовження і хочу ближче познайомитись з Енцо і його парою, там теж буде багато інтриг ☺

[Sharleen ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️ Dante & Raquel may have been even sweeter than Dom & Chiara though I love both couples equally 🥰

Tropes
• Mafia
• Rival Families
• Light Stalking (or surveillance as Dante called it)
• Forced Proximity
• Marriage of Convenience
• One Bed
• Alpha That’s Soft for Her 🥺
• A little exhibitionism by the pool 💦

The first half of this book coincides with the events of book one so we get to see how Dante & Raquel came to be. Raquel’s parents are forcing her into an arranged marriage to an abusive and terrifying man. When her mother tries to push up the wedding date, Dante swoops in with an offer too good to refuse. Marry him instead and be his wife for a business deal then after 3 months he’ll give her money and help her disappear. Unbeknownst to her though, he never intends on letting her go…

These Cavaleri boys are such softies for their women and I love it! Much like what happened to his older brother Dom, Dante grows to care for Raquel and does everything in his power to make her happy despite initially taking her to hurt her family. Their banter and chemistry was palpable from the jump and Dante wasn’t afraid to use his good looks and charm on his new wife 😮‍💨

Also like Dom, Dante learned the hard way that keeping secrets always comes back and bites you in the ass 🫠 Let’s see if Enzo can learn from his brothers mistakes… Everything that happened after Raquel learned the truth though was 🔥 I loved seeing Dante’s psychotic side! He went full burn the world to the ground for her and I loved every second!

Once again the set up for the next book has me so hyped to see what happens next! The events of that bbq were so heartbreaking 😭 Running to see the fallout 🏃🏽‍♀️

[Alina Kravets · Rating 5 out of 5]

Друга книга з перших сторінок мене захопила.
Історія Ракель і Данте, просто вибухова💣🧨

Ракель - теж належить до мафіозної родини Палермо. Вона є кузиною Кіари з першої книги.
Хоч вона і не зазнавала побоїв від батьків, але теж часто її принужували і газлайтили, як вона говорить, її люблять батьки, але нажаль не можуть цього правильно показати.🙁
Батьки Ракель вибирають нареченого, який є багатим, але як людина просто жах. Він дуже жорстокий, збочений, і не поважає її. І кажуть вийти за нього.
Ракель змушена прийняти свою долю, хоча часто думає над самогубством, бо не баче такого життя.🥺

Данте - брат Домініка, і належить до сім'ї Кавалері. Він дуже давно слідкує за Ракель, і хоче використати її в своєму плані помсти. Але як ми розуміємо все йде не за планом.
Як персонаж дуже позитивний, смішний там де треба, і серйозний коли справа стосується близьких йому людей.

Данте вкрав моє сердце ❤️
Що це за прекрасний чоловік, з першої їх зустрічі він себе поводить як джентельмен, він так турбується про Ракель, робить все за ради неї, що вона нічого не потребувала, хоче зробити її життя максимально комфортним.

Книга сповнена, крутих і гарячих сцен 🔞.
Вчинки героїв зрозумілі, і адекватні.
Одразу видно відносини двух дорослих нормальних людей. ☺️
Скажу так насолоджувалась цією книгою.
Знову ж ��аки відносини між братами це щось🥹

Але тут підіймаються дуже важливі важкі питання.🤧
Я до останнього думала між оцінкою 4 або 5. І коли вже на 90% все було добре, всі щасливі, сталися такі події, я просто з щелепою до підлоги сиділа, бо це просто не можливо. Я сподіваюсь що в наступній книзі, не підтвердится те що сталось в цій, бо це просто розіб'є мені серце.💔

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️

This is the second book in the Cavaleri Brothers series and is centered around Dante and Raquel. There was a mention of this couple in the first book and I was instantly intrigued due to their circumstances. Raquel Bianchi is bound to her family and must marry a man of their choosing. That man is evil and intends to make her life miserable. Her family thinks it’s a great match and that Raquel must marry the man, Carlito. One night, when she hears the wedding date is being moved up soon than she thought, she runs.

She runs and ends up meeting a mysterious man at her favorite bar. That man is seemingly the answer to her problems. He agrees to protect her from the man she is being forced to marry for the next few months. The only catch, she has to marry him! Raquel agrees, knowing that’s her best option to stay hidden from her family. Little does she know that the mysterious man is Dante Cavaleri and he despises her family.

He’s been waiting for years to make a move against her father and uncles. They destroyed his families life and he intends to use Raquel to destroy theirs! This book had lots of twists and turns😱 So much happened in the book and the ending will leave you shocked! Can’t wait for the next one in the series because that cliffhanger was insane!🤯

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

[Erin Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Star The Devil's Pawn (Cavaleri Brothers #2) by Lilian Harris

Mafia based stories are not something I regularly read but having read the first book in the series and enjoyed it, I wanted to see what Ms.Harris had in store.

The chemistry that sizzles between Raquel and Dante is scorching particularly since Dante has been focused on getting Raquel for years. There were so many twists and turns woven throughout this story and just when I thought I knew where the story was heading I was left shaking my head.

However the last thing Dante expects is to fall in love with her and she is just as shocked as their marriage of convenience suddenly becomes so much more.

This is a fast paced story that will draw you in and keep you on the edge of your seat. It is filled with suspense, drama and plenty of heat and be prepared for one heck of a cliff hanger ending.

[Ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

ARC IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW

''I want you. I want this. Let us have it. Just tell me you'll give me time. Give us time''

Lilian Harris is an author I discovered last year with the first book in this series and I’m so glad I did. I really enjoyed the story of Dom and Chiara (first book) and see a bit of Dante and Raquel in that story (I was curious about them since that moment) and, in their book, Dante and Raquel have not disappointed (maybe this is one of the best books I’ve read so far this year).

The plot is simple, Raquel does not want to marry the man imposed by her family, she meets Dante (who already knew who she was), they talk, form a plan, and decide to get married. Obviously Dante has his own reasons for wanting to marry Raquel (go read book 1) and she has no idea. And what begins as a marriage to help her and for him to get his plans, ends up being something else. And this is where the good starts because they start having feelings when she knows that marriage is temporary and he MUST NOT feel that way about her.

Dante is a character who is not shy to say what he thinks, is someone charismatic and charming, but with that dangerous side that, let’s be honest, makes him irresistible.

Raquel is a character that surprised me, like Chiara, she had no idea about anything. She is someone who decides to escape the fate imposed by her family, a hateful family. I liked the closure of the character as far as her family and as she found in Chiara, Dom and Dante her new family.

The moments between Dante and Raquel are fun, charming, spicy and honest, especially when they start to develop feelings and really trust each other.

I liked the appearance of Dom and Chiara, but Lilian we have to talk, what did you do?
And I’m already excited for Enzo and his book, because that ending, without words.

[Laura Fabian]

ARC kindly provided for the author in exchange for an honest review

May contain spoilers for The Devil's Deal

Lilian Harris surprises me more with each book! But The Devil's Pawn, in addition to having some totally unexpected and heartbreaking twists for the plot of the Cavaleri brothers, it was nothing that I expected.

To begin with, I have no idea why, I expected to read a shy and introverted Raquel, but in reality she is a girl capable of turning Dante's world into head from the start, with a witty, fun, flirtatious personality and an unknown dark side. She's also a committed doctor who wants to help people and has a beautiful heart despite the situations her family puts her through, like getting engaged to a horrible man for the sake of her name: someone who threatens her, doesn't respect her and who she's afraid of. Her story with Carlito and everything that happens due to their engagement was hard to read, as was her relationship with her mom, but I liked that Raquel had a real relationship with her dad, unlike Chiara, and that even after what happens she is still able to feel something for that man she grew up with, something that also broke my heart.

Regarding Dante, I have to say that he was my favorite since I met the Cavaleri boys, however, I did not expect that this charming, tender and loving side of him, I loved how much he cares about Raquel, that he really wants to help her, although not in the way she thinks, plus I loved reading about her vulnerable side every time he remembered his parents and Matteo, and thanks to his character I was also able to understand Dominic much better, how the loss of his family affected him and how being the protector of his brothers continues to affect him.

I really liked EVERYTHING that happened between Dante & Raquel, from the moment they "meet", the way their marriage started, to how easy it is to realize how much they are interested in the other. Their chemistry is powerful, amazing and explosive, they are very funny, sensual, tender and charming, and one of my favorite Lilian Harris couples. In addition, I also really liked the way the author developed the conflict between them and how they both faced the truth about their feelings.

🇪🇸
ARC amablemente proporcionada por la autora a cambio de una reseña honesta

Puede contener spoilers de The Devil's Deal

Lilian Harris me sorprende más con cada libro! Pero es que The Devil's Pawn, además de tener unos giros totalmente inesperados y desgarradores para la trama de los hermanos Cavaleri, no fue nada de lo que esperaba.

Para empezar yo, no tengo idea por qué, esperaba leer a una tímida e introvertida Raquel, pero en realidad es una chica capaz de poner el mundo de Dante de cabeza desde el inicio, con una personalidad ingeniosa, divertida, coqueta y un lado oscuro desconocido. Además es una médica comprometida que quiere ayudar a las personas y tiene un corazón hermoso a pesar de las situaciones a las que su familia la somete, como comprometerse con un hombre horrible por el bien de su apellido: alguien que la amenaza, no la respeta y quien le teme. Su historia con Carlito y todo lo que pasa debido a su compromiso fue difícil de leer, al igual que su relación con su mamá, pero me gustó que Raquel tuviera una verdadera relación con su papá, a diferencia de Chiara, y que aún después de lo que pasa ella siga siendo capaz de sentir algo por ese hombre con el que creció, algo que también rompió mi corazón.

Con respecto a Dante tengo que decir que fue mi favorito desde que conocí a los chicos Cavaleri, sin embargo, no esperaba que este lado suyo tan encantador, tierno y amoroso, amé lo mucho que se preocupa por Raquel, que realmente quiera ayudarla, aunque no de la manera en la que ella piensa, además de que me encantó leer su lado vulnerable cada vez que recordaba a sus papás y a Matteo, y gracias a su personaje también pude comprender mucho mejor a Dominic, cómo le afecto la perdida de su familia y cómo sigue repercutiendo en él ser el protector de sus hermanos.

De verdad me gustó mucho TODO lo que pasó entre Dante & Raquel, desde el momento en el que "se conocen", la manera en la que su matrimonio comenzó, hasta lo fácil que es darse cuenta lo mucho que se interesan en el otro. Su química es poderosa, maravillosa y explosiva, son muy divertidos, sensuales, tiernos y encantadores, y una de mis parejas favoritas de Lilian Harris. Además también me gustó mucho la forma en que la autora desarrolló el conflicto entre ambos y como ambos enfrentaron la verdad sobre sus sentimientos.

[logan 📖🌿🤍 · Rating 5 out of 5]

lilian harris knows how to keep me on my damn toes!!! i’m obsessed with this series and she continues to leave me needing more asap… i don’t think i can wait. if you see this i’ll give you my first born for book 3

*arc given in exchange for an honest review from the author*

[ash · Rating 3 out of 5]

it did not give what i thought it was going to give and that’s my fault for setting high expectations. but also i’m sorry but i rlly just could not with the dialogue, it felt stale and rushed idk i couldn’t with “baby girl” and “wifey.” i’ll definitely continue with the series as the rest of the books come out but i’m sad this one didn’t do it for me. :(

[Marnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Gobsmacking, addicting and unputdownable read!!

Before I can even write any kind of sensical review, I just have to throw this out there ... I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THE CAVALERI BROTHERS!!!!!!

Having just finished the second book in Author Lilian Harris’ epic Cavaleri Brothers series, I absolutely adore all three of the deadly beautiful hearted romantic killers that she has created for the reading pleasure of those fortunate enough to have come across her books.

THE DEVIL’S PAWN ran pretty much concurrently with book one, THE DEVIL’S DEAL which I do believe should be read first to get the best reading experience possible, and I’m telling you now, it will be no hardship. In fact, if Enzo’s story was already available, I’d be diving straight in with alacrity!!!

The series has everything that a mafia romance aficionado would love and Ms Harris does not shy away from the brutality that might be expected in this world, but, I wouldn’t know if fictional portrayal matches reality?? Whatever magic was spun with words, I was caught and mesmerised.
Dante, the middle of the three brothers was as deadly and vengeful as his older brother, but softer around the edges. He was both amazed and dismayed by the effect that Raquel had on him and the cocky alpha male attitude that he loved to torment her with made for great reading. He admired her and genuinely enjoyed her company, and while he’d said he’d never love her, he would always treat her well and do anything to ensure the vicious man her parents had promised her to, never got to marry her. The chemistry was huge, and melted my kindle and my heart!

Raquel was quiet and shy, and when she found out who she was told to marry, she vowed to do anything rather than be forced to marry the sick disgusting man, a soldier for the Palermo family. When Dante showed up with a proposal allowing her to escape her fate, her attraction was extreme and the only hardship would be when the end of the contract came about. The written description of the man *fanning oneself right now!* had ME all hot and bothered so it was easy to imagine how quickly she would’ve become enamoured of him.

Even as he told his story about how dead, black and bloody his heart and hands were, it is the sheer heaviness of his burden that made me think that he just had to be redeemable. My heart absolutely broke for him and I’ve already said that even as I knew the background of their situation due to having read the first concurrently running book, I still was absolutely gutted for them all over again.

Holy crap but I loved the heavily sensual and witty prose between them. Seriously, I pretty much needed a cooling breeze blowing past my comfortable pozzy as I read about this couple who I loved immediately! I was also in tears due to the sheer depth of emotion from these two as they both completely lost their hearts to each other, one wanting everything from the other while the other fought to stick to their resolve, to leave for their love’s protection.

These young men had been through hell and come back to dish out vengeance. “We’ve risen from the ashes , completely reborn. We’re the devils marking their graves. They may have been the ones to fear then, but we’re the ones to fear now.”

5-burn-it-all-to-the-ground-stars 🔥🖤💞✶

#mumsalwaysreading #bookblogger #bookreviewer #marnsreads #marnsj

[María · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I was fucking scared, baby. Because the way I feel about you…I never wanted to, never deserved it. I still don’t. But I want you for more than three months. I want you for as long as you’ll let me have you.”

Desde que leí la primera parte de esta serie estaba deseando que se publicase este libro porque sabía que me iba a encantar y, efectivamente, así ha sido.

Una de las cosas que más me ha gustado es que aquí podemos ver algunas escenas que en el primer libro solo conocíamos de oídas, mientras que ahora las vivimos en primera persona gracias a sus protagonistas. Eso le da un punto de vista diferente a la historia y hace que sea mucho mejor.

Respecto a la trama no puedo decir nada puesto que sería hacer spoiler del primer libro pero he de decir que me ha gustado mucho. No me la esperaba así y me ha sorprendido mucho. Lo que sí que quiero dejar claro es que en este libro se narran escenas de violaciones (en pasado siempre) y escenas de violencia explícita hacia una mujer. Si es algo que no te gusta o crees que te vas a sentir incómodo leyéndolo, no es tu libro. Sí que es cierto que es solo en un momento puntual, pero es muy duro de leer, así que ahí queda la advertencia.

Respecto a los personajes, Dante y Raquel son maravillosos. En especial ella. Todo lo que ha vivido en el pasado, lo que se supone que tenía que vivir y lo que acaba viviendo es muy muy duro. Me encanta que ella en ningún momento se venga abajo, que siempre siga peleando por lo que quiere. Es una gran protagonista.

Por otro lado, Dante es su contrapeso perfecto. Me encanta como la va provocando con sus bromas durante todo el libro y como consigue abrirse a ella al final. Como consigue ver más allá de su apellido y ver la persona que es Raquel. De verdad que como personaje me fascina.

No quiero terminar la reseña sin decir ¿QUÉ ES ESE FINAL POR FAVOR? No puede dejarme la autora así, no puede. Menos mal que en junio se publica la tercera parte porque no puedo esperar más.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Devils Pawn by Lilian Harris
5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“She doesn’t know I’m both the prince from her fairytales and the monster from her nightmares”

This is the second book in the Cavaleri Brothers series, this covers Daunte and Raquel. I was hooked just by the first page, my favorite of the series so far! Im not sure how you can’t fall in love with Daunte, even from the little we knew of him in the first book he was addicting. What an emotional roller coaster, especially the ending!! If you love a good mafia romance story I highly recommend checking out this series. Seriously can’t wait for the next book.

Thank you kindly to the author for providing an Arc in exchange of an honest review.

[Kattrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowww, these books! So many feelings, I’m almost at a lost for words to describe how I feel.
I love Raquel’s and Dante’s story but I also loved all the other bits.. I need more of Chiara after finding out what happened 💔
I’m so addicted to this series. Ripping hearts, clenching thighs, crying, laughing. These books definitely have all the feels!

[Stephanie Ditmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Raquel and Dante. Their story is fire! These two were amazing. The Cavaleri brothers are all about vengeance against the Bianchi’s for what they did to their family. What he didn’t expect is Racquel and who she is and what she stands for. She's not who he thought she was, she’s so much more. Their meeting is based on secrets and lies, but quickly takes a turn Dante clearly didn’t see coming and when Racquel finds out the truth, will they be over before really getting a chance at happiness? This series is amazing and can’t wait for Joelle and Enzo’s story next!

[jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Devil’s Pawn is Dante and Raquel’s story and it’s everything!! I absolutely love both characters, ESPECIALLY Raquel.

I’ve really been anticipating this book ever since we got a few glimpses of these characters in the previous book. Both are very intriguing characters and I enjoyed getting to know them more in depth.

This book really keeps you going, every scene was interesting and I had to know what was going to happen next. Not only that but the connection Dante and Raquel have is explosive!! The moments they have together you can really know just how strongly they have these emotions when they’re around each other. Also the chemistry is just >>>

Overall Dante and Raquel’s story is just as intriguing as the first book of this series. With characters that intrigue you and make you want to know more about them is something I like in a book,especially if it’s part of a series. I honestly can’t wait for the next one!

[Rhonda Ziglar · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 THE DEVIL'S PAWN STARS!! Wow, this one keep me on my toes and flipping pages. This author always gives us readers an addicting story and this one is no different.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dante and Raquel’s story was such an amazing read! I loved their connection because it was so special to witness and see how they slowly open up to one another, especially realizing how in love they are with each other. True definition of ride or die, and it was written so well! I loved how caring Dante was, especially how loyal he was to his brothers, family, and Raquel. I cant wait for the next one!

[Adrienne Bird · Rating 5 out of 5]

O.M.G!!! That ending!!!! What a cliffhanger for Enzo’s book?! I’m so glad we got to see Dante and Raquel’s story!!! What a story it is!! Between their instant chemistry and the new information Raquel learns about her family that changes her loyalties…it’s all a mind blowing story that leaves you wanting more!! The chemistry and steam between Raquel and Dante is the stuff of legends and explains so much about their draw to each other. My heart breaks for all involved and soars for all the happiness they all experience!!

[Elyssa Cosper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aahhhhmazing

This book not only encompasses Raquel and Dante’s love story, it also dives deeper into the sinful ways of the Bianchi family! I love the in depth story line creating this dark realm with the devilish Cavalerie brothers trying to save everyone from the Bianchi family wrath. This dark mafia book is a must read, and I live that the author Lillian Harris has done it again with such a beautiful novel!

[literary.supremacy · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Reading about Dante and Raquel in book 1 I was intrigued to know their story. And that cliffhanger omgosh. I loved how the story started even though it was brutal how Raquel has to go through so much with Carlito being her fiance. Raquel's character was so good to read she was everything and so much more and so perfect.

Dante omgosh I loveeeed his character even though his and his brothers intentions, reasons & hidden agenda but It was really nice to see an insight through Dante's pov how things went through when he and his brothers were young and reading about Dominic & Matteo 🤧.

The off the chart chemistry between Dante & Raquel. It was so amazing to read their flirting, soft moments and intense ones & the ending omgosh I'm so ready for book 3 already. Lilian did an excellent job with this one 👏👏.

It was a 4.2 Star Read for me.

[miryam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Calaveri Brothers series and it revolves around Dante and Raquel. I have been waiting for this book to come out ever since I finished the first book. I absolutely loved Dante and Raquel (the chemistry was insane and the sexual tension was off the charts). The storyline was so intriguing and intense yet the banter between the characters was so witty and fun to read. Also, there were SO many twists that had me on the edge of my seat. Definitely go read this book (but make sure you read the first book in the series to get a bit of background on the characters & storyline).

Thank you so much for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[gena_bookish_reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this escalated fast. I didn't imagine that this story could get that dark but fuck..I like surprises.

This time we read Dante's story. It can be read as a standalone but I would highly recommend to go back and read Dom's book if you haven't already. Things will make more sense in this way. So! Now is Dante's turn to execute his part of their plan. What is their plan? To take revenge from the Bianchi family.

Raquel is a very strong and confident woman. She's a doctor and has all these dreams about her future. Her family though has different plans for her. They want her to marry a total piece of shit. Raquel is desperate though. She doesn't want Carlito. He's cruel and abusive, so one night when a hot man appears while she's alone trying to figure things out and offers her a very tempting escape proposition she accepts.

She will marry that man for three months in order to avoid what her family wants her to do. What she didn't expect though is his hot man to actually be Dante Cavaleri. You see..Raquel is a Bianchi so all this is part of his plan. He's never letting her go.

What started as a convenience marriage between them progressed to be a possessive and heated relationship. They both wanted to fuck their brains out but something was holding them back. He had his reservations about who she is and she? She just didn't want to complicate things more between them.

I still can't forget how good the sex scenes were. This author knows how to write good steam. I have a soft spot for dirty talkers and Dante is one of the filthiest. I couldn't understand how Raquel was controling herself and wasn't jumping his ass. Fucking hell. 🔥

The main characters were all likeable. I wish the women were a little more smart and fierce though. It's always their "morals" that leads them to do mistakes. I just hope they understand that this is a dark world we live and you can only fight darkness with darkness. Them believing the best about everyone isn't realistic. I may wanted to slap Raquel a couple times because of that.. 🙄. In the end I didn't need though because she was in for a rude awakening.

There are a couple triggers in this book like human trafficking, abuse, bloody situations, a pregnant mom loosing her baby, children in bad conditions..etc so bare in mind that you're up for a wild ride. Also..have your eyes in this author. She's really good I'm telling you. 👀 You will definitely enjoy this one if you try it.

[FANCHON · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second try is a charm

This is book two in the Cavalieri Brothers series, and this time it’s Dante Cavalieri and Raquel’s story. I would not consider these stand alones , as their timelines overlap. So significant events that happened in the first book are mentioned as they occur in the timeline of this book, however they are not fleshed out with details. You’ll definitely be missing things by not having read them in order to and it ends on a big cliffy. The cliffy is the lead in for the next brother’s story, but also part of the ongoing storyline that takes place across all the books.

I started this book ages ago right after finishing the first book. I wound up quitting at 29%, but have been meaning to give it another chance for a long time. Oftentimes things that bother me don’t hit me the same when I try again later. That was the case here, though I could definitely see what irritated me the first time around. She is mafia princess who is also a second year surgical resident - meaning an intelligent grown woman who also was raised in the mafia life. Not stupid. Not naive. She’s desperate- she’s to be married to a horrible man who is not shy about the fact he’s looking forward to abusing her. When she finds her forced marriage is to be moved up sooner, she actually determines to end her life instead. Until Dante offers her an alternative. So yea, desperate. But she still has a clueless naivety that bothered me enough to make me stop reading the first time, but wasn’t as annoying to me the second try.

Overall, a very enjoyable series for me. I love the relationship between these two.
What starts as a part of their revenge plot takes a turn when Dante develops real feelings toward his unsuspecting bride/captive. And she spends most of the book clueless to her role in the plot. There’s plenty of steam, a bit of action, and some dark truths revealed about the Bianchis and the awful things they’ve done. Be prepared for a cliffy, which will have you wanting to jump into the next book to see what happens.

[Lucy Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

The devils pawn is the second instalment of the series where we learn about Dante and Raquel’s story.

I enjoyed the book, but I found some of the choices the characters made quite random and quick. Especially with Raquel.

I did find myself skimming through the last 20% of the book as I could feel myself detaching from the story.

Overall the second book in the series is very good. I’ll be intrigued to see what the third entails!

*ARC given in exchange for an honest review*

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg I LOVED this book so so much!!!

This is the second book in the Cavaleri Brothers series and it did not disappoint! This book was full of twists and turns that I never expected to happen. Lilian Harris is seriously amazing at writing mafia romances and I cannot wait to read the next one in this series!

In the first book I could tell right away that I was going to love Dante and Raquel. Their chemistry is off the charts and the sexual tension between those two could light a fire. Raquel is such a sweet and caring person and her and Dante are both great characters! Their relationship may have begun as just a marriage of convenience, but it quickly turned to so much more. You get to see the conflicting emotions they both struggle with in this. You may wonder if they get their happy ending right? Well, you’ll just need to read it and find out! Trust me when I say this book is amazing! It’s filled with angst, steam, drama, action, and so much more! This book will have you wondering what in the world certain characters are thinking, as well as having moments where you want to cry… No spoilers though…. Seriously though, get ready for an action packed story that you won’t be able to put down!

5 Stars!!!

Thank you so much for providing me with an ARC!!